Starter and starter solenoid wiring from scratch

[doubleg]

I bought an 85 GT last year with t-tops but it is in need of some serious help. The previous owner completely butchered all of the stock wiring, some of its there and some of its not. I haven't had alot of luck finding a replacement wiring harness, but i know alot of the things like gauges, etc.. i can wire up myself those are pretty straight forward. Could someone tell me what i need to hook up the starter and the starter solenoid as if i had a spool of wiring and was just starting from scratch?

Thank you. Im dying to get the ball rolling on this car.

Greg - St. Louis

[erratic50]

You have three major connection points on the solenoid. 12 volt constant from battery, 12 starter motor, and the wire that engages the solenoid and tells the started to crank the motor.

You have 3-4 fusible links that get 12 volt constant. You only connect the starter to one of the big leads. You only connect the "start" signal to the small wire.

Depending upon where your solenoid is from you might have a second small wire. It's not needed on electronic (non points style) ignition. History is that some of the early solenoids have a 2nd small wire and many replacements do too even though it's not used. The purpose is so ignition voltages step up. Normally points ignition runs at 9 volts when running and 12 volts when starting. On these old rides you need a diod to keep the 9v constant voltage from feeding back to the solenoid and burning it up.

I know this stuff from my experience putting an original points ignition old motor into a newer electronic ignition vehicle.

good luck!

[brianj]

Just a thought - now would be a good time to look at doing a gear reduced mini starter, since you are rewiring anyhow.

[cb84capri]

Just a thought - now would be a good time to look at doing a gear reduced mini starter, since you are rewiring anyhow.

I second the notion. Headlight relays are a good idea as well... Fuses instead of fusible links... 3g alternator upgrade.. Maybe electric fan... Replace the prone to separating ignition switch... Tempo/Topaz chime instead of the stock warning buzzer... You know, while you're in there haha!

Cale

[ZephyrEFI]

Yeah, with the mini starter, you don't even need to run a solenoid. I'm going to eliminate mine pretty soon here. If you can wire up gauges, you can do this.

[doubleg]

Thanks guys for the input. As soon as the weather gets a little better im going to jump into this.

[cb84capri]

Yeah, with the mini starter, you don't even need to run a solenoid. I'm going to eliminate mine pretty soon here. If you can wire up gauges, you can do this.

I have done a lot of reading around on this, and from what I gather you don't want to do that. Chevy guys put Ford solenoids on their cars that have starter mounted solenoids for a reason, and that's to aid in hot starts. Apparently, the resistance on the small gauge trigger wire goes up when it gets hot to the point where the wire cannot supply enough current to activate the solenoid, and the engine won't crank. I ran a 10 gauge wire off of my fender mounted solenoid to my starter mounted solenoid in hopes that this will not be a problem. It's overkill but it's a cheap insurance policy. The starter also has a heat shield blanket with metal zip ties around it to keep my long tubes from cooking it.

Cale

[Oberu]

I just put a mini starter on mine and it's got an onboard solenoid. I really need to find a lug and bypass the original. It seems to keep the starter turning a second longer than it needs to right now and that's no bueno!

[cb84capri]

Sounds like you wired it incorrectly, if you power the starter and starter mounted solenoid from the same source that is what happens. The starter becomes a generator when the power is shut off to it and it produces a charge that keeps the starter solenoid energized a couple seconds. I bought one of these

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Post-Termina...FYuvVK&vxp=mtr

and a starter cable, removed the set screw wire clamping lugs and cable from it, cut and stripped back my starter cable and cable to fender mounted solenoid, crimped and connected the end to the battery. I ran a 10 gauge wire from the old starter cable post on the fender mounted solenoid to the starter solenoid. You can buy battery terminal ends to do this for cheaper, but they were blowing the battery repair harnesses out at my local Meijer store for like $6 so that's why I did it that way.

I tried to go against the grain on this at first, but this is the best way to do it:

Attachment 108315

Attachment 108316

I deviated slightly as the 12v constant side of the fender mounted solenoid on my car is maxed out with electrical add ons already.

Cale

[cb84capri]

A picture might help:



Did the same thing with the ground side as well.

Cale

[ZephyrEFI]

I'm gonna use a relay for the trigger wire circuit (red/blue). Ford Racing says you need 12 gauge, so that's what I'm gonna run. The relay will function just like the solenoid did and look a lot better doing it.

[cb84capri]

I'm gonna use a relay for the trigger wire circuit (red/blue). Ford Racing says you need 12 gauge, so that's what I'm gonna run. The relay will function just like the solenoid did and look a lot better doing it.

Might as well put the fuel pump priming button in too while you're at it.



Cale

[erratic50]

Raise your hand if you've started a warm Chevy with the handle from a pair of old school Ceetee pliers more than once...... Lol.

Had a 1963 Belair with a 283 powepak head 2 bl engine and a glide. Warm start was when the starter troll had to get kicked off his bridge

[erratic50]

As for fuse setup, I'd go with glow when blown technology to replace the fusible links. That or a thermal overload circuit breaker with auto reset.

[ZephyrEFI]

Might as well put the fuel pump priming button in too while you're at it.



Cale

Nah, I'm waiting for my stock regulator plan to fail first, remember?

[doubleg]

So I finally had time to work on the car today. Had to take a vacation day to do it. I pulled the starter out and its one of those small high torque starters that are hooked up wth two wires. I put power to the starter on the bench to test it and its not working, so thats part of my problem. Went to the autoparts store and picked up replacement starter which is only a one wire hookup. Got the new starter in and before I tried to figure out which wires were going to the solenoid put the negative battery cable back on and it starts on its own. No ignition, no solenoid, just straight power from the battery. Kind of freaked me out i have to admit. So i pulled the starter down again and figured i would hook up that second wire to the main one thinking that could be part of the problem since this wiring is completely hacked. Same thing. Now im looking at wiring diagrams on that high torque starter and thats a negative cable so im going to have to undo that one again. Man this thing is getting on my nerves. Wires that seem to be missing here and there, new wires ran across the manifolds to the battery, the previous owner didnt seem to care how things were routed, and apparently hooked up. Im seriously amazed this thing even ran when i bought it. ARRR!