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Mini Starter hookup

cmayna

cmayna

DILLIGARA?
Donator
Something kept eating at me about the mini starter I have installed. I originally wired it up like a regular starter but finally decided to look online to see how others have done it only to find that the solenoid cable is connected to the same post as the + battery cable and a small 18 gauge wire comes from the small tab on the starter up to the other side of the solenoid.

Here's a pic of what I'm finding. Does this sound correct?



4_04_04_10_2_05_15.jpg
 
I agree that the pic is correct. I believe if you hook it up the way the first pic shows, the starter will try to keep cranking.
 
Yes the second photo will work. Just wonder if there is a need for the redundancy of the two solenoids. Couldn't the wire connecting to the "S" terminal on the old solenoid just be connected to the "S" terminal on the new solenoid therefore eliminating the old solenoid? Then you could just install a power terminal there.
 
The second picture is the better way to wire it. The only thing I do not like about it is the power wire to the starter is hot all the time. If the insulation is compromised you will have a direct short to ground. Maybe it is just me being paranoid... You could move the starter cable to the other side of the original solenoid & then wire the 2 solenoids to the key key so they are energized at the same time. This would eliminate the constant hot to the cable going down to the starter.

Mike
 
"6t6red" said:
I agree that the pic is correct. I believe if you hook it up the way the first pic shows, the starter will try to keep cranking.
Click to expand...


If you wire it up as the top picture shows with the mini starter, it won't crank period.
 
"jmlay" said:
The second picture is the better way to wire it. The only thing I do not like about it is the power wire to the starter is hot all the time. If the insulation is compromised you will have a direct short to ground. Maybe it is just me being paranoid... You could move the starter cable to the other side of the original solenoid & then wire the 2 solenoids to the key key so they are energized at the same time. This would eliminate the constant hot to the cable going down to the starter.

Mike
Click to expand...

Many late model Fords are wired with the wire hot all the time as you mentioned. I've never seen one have a problem, or have I heard of one having a problem as you stated about being paranoid about.
 
Most excellent. Thanks to all for your responses. I have already rewired Shag to reflect the 2nd diagram.
 
Is there a reason not to do it like this?

167_04_04_10_7_14_17.png


If you're trying to keep the stock appearance, or want to keep the solenoid for some reason, it seems to be easier to leave everything as it is stock, and instead of running a second line to control the S on the ministarter solenoid, just hook up a jumper between the power to the starter, and the S on the onboard solenoid.

I plan to toss the solenoid completely, and running the signal from the ignition switch direct to the S on the starter, but I've never understood the purpose of running two wires to the starter when the car is already pretty much wired correctly, all you need to do is jumper the ministarter.

Any input?
 
That method will work, but is not the preferred method. The reason being the bendix and starter are energized at the same time. It is preferred to have a slight delay even if it is only a fraction of a second between the time bendix is energized and the time the starter is. The bendix and flywheel or flexplate gears may wear faster wired using the method you showed.
 
I have a mini-starter on mine, too. I ditched the stock solenoid. I ran a battery cable to the starter and the trigger wire that used to go to the apron-mounted solenoid is now directly run to the new solenoid (on the starter). Works just fine.

Some prefer to maintain the stock solenoid because it may provide a little hotter shot to the other solenoid, but I haven't found that to be necessary. Using one relay to trigger another relay doesn't make much sense to me.

I have found, however, that my starter every so often sounds pretty "draggy". But 95% of the time it cranks like a champ.
 
The reason I chose to keep the original Solenoid was so I can easily use a remote starter. But now I wonder if my remote starter will work with this slight wiring change. Might try it today.
 
"PJ Moran" said:
I have a mini-starter on mine, too. I ditched the stock solenoid. I ran a battery cable to the starter and the trigger wire that used to go to the apron-mounted solenoid is now directly run to the new solenoid (on the starter). Works just fine.
Click to expand...

+1 here and you can disconnect the "I" wire as you have an electronic ignition system.IMO
 
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