Some restomod under hood wiring questions....

[RyanG85]

I'm relocating the headlight harness out of the engine bay. I'll be switching to an internally regulated alternator and a late model mini starter. I'll be locating the battery into the trunk. I would like to eliminate the solenoid since the mini starter will have its own. How many wires do I need to run from the Battery to the engine bay? 1 heavy gauge to the starter and a smaller one from the Alt back to the battery for charging? Will also be running a few relayed hot lines for the electric fan and headlights, Do I run those lines off the starter solenoid positive? Should there be one line off solenoid positive to a junction block and then to the relayed accessories? I'm kinda an idiot when it comes to wiring.....

Those with trunk mounted batteries, where did you run the wire, under the car or under the door sill plate? Does the Neg just get grounded to the trunk floor?

On the mini starter, will the signal wire from the key need to be relayed? I've read some say yes, some say no.....

Again, sorry for the novice electrical questions and thanks in advance to all those that reply.

 

[johnpro]

Depending on the output capabilities of your alternator, you may need a bigger wire from alternator to battery, than you think. Obviously, you'll need a bigger wire for a 100+ amp alternator, than say for an alternator that at it's maximum will only put out 35 amps.

You could use the big post on the mini-starter as a junction terminal to hook the alternator wire to.

I had to use a relay to get enough current to the mini-starter. The stock wiring that went to the original solenoid just didn't have enough current on it. 12v, but not enough current. Most others that I have talked to about this (I just finished mine a couple of weeks ago), had to either use a relay or re-wire that wire.

I have not relocated the battery to the trunk yet, but I would seriously consider adding a junction box in the engine bay somewhere (probably hidden as well as possible). You are going to need direct battery power eventually, in the engine bay to drive things like electric fans, ignition systems, etc., that absolutely cannot be driven off the stock wiring. These sorts of things need a lot of current to them, that cannot be obtained from anywhere but the battery/alternator, and some of them then controlled with relays.

When I installed mine, I removed the original solenoid completely, but I added a junction box that I could get to, where I could still hook up a remote starter in order to activate the mini-starter

 

[RyanG85]

Thanks for the info John, I think what I need to do first is draw it out on paper so I can see everything going on at once.... I'm getting a little out of control in the late stages of this build. I'm straying away from the original plan and changing things daily... At least this is all before paint...

 

[Jonk67]

I'm going a similar route but just now started considering the hi torque mini starter with solenoid so I have to redraw my plans now. Here's the site I used for a reference to put the batt. in the trunk:
http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/tm-1.shtml

I plan to run the hot wire down the inside door channel to protect it and run the seperate wire that will be hot only during start. I was T-boned in a '70 yrs. ago that would have grounded a hot wire running there.

I plan to have a junction block up front for any accessories or hot that I may need later like my headlight and driving light relays that I'll be wiring to this sites instructions:
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

I'm a novice at wiring but it's not rocket science either, make sure you don't overload the circuits, use the right ga. wire I go 1-2 ga. over min., track your wiring connections and make sure you have good grounds.
Jon

 

[Dne']

What is the advantage of having a mini starter :amaz? I'm not going to buy one, just curious~ my starter is working just fine.
dne'

 

[Jonk67]

Higher torque for higher compression engines, less power needed to spin the engine over, more space (mini) for tight fitting headers, smaller means they're not as close to the exh. so they don't heat up and fry as easily, lighter, etc.
I'm sure they'll take at least a 1/2 sec. off your quarter mile too :wm?
Jon

 

[johnpro]

I'm sure they'll take at least a 1/2 sec. off your quarter mile too

LOL

Don't we wish!

I agree with Jon, though. There's nothing but advantages with the hi-torque mini starters, and zero negatives, other than cost and the initial installation.

I run 14 degrees initial advance on the 408, with 10.3:1 compression. This is pretty tough on a normal starter, when the engine is hot. It often sounds like my battery is on it's last leg. Now with the mini starter, it spins the engine incredibly fast, and it fires instantly.

 

[buening]

I have a trunk mounted battery in my mach. I put the solenoid in the trunk as well, so some may not apply to you. I ran all the wiring over the passenger rear wheelwell and through the sill plates. I ran the wiring under the kick panel and for the starter wire I drilled a hole near the top of the passenger toe board. The starter wire exits the floorboard just above the starter. The remainder of the wires I used the factory speedometer cable grommet since I'll be running electrical speedometer, but you can drill a hole anywhere for the wires to pass through the firewall. I have my battery negative grounded to the frame rail just below the battery. Some say it isn't a good ground path since the motor is grounded to the front rails, but I haven't had a bit of trouble.