Starter Help

[Elvis]

Well I received my mini starter and after having to remove the headers to get the old starter out and the mini starter in I had some confusion about the wiring. The old starter of course just has the one cable from the starter to the solenoid. The mini starter (no instructions included) has a large cable with two connectors that attach to the starter - the fittings are different sizes so it is clear which terminals to use. The other end has the main large cable which probably attaches to the solenoid and a smaller wire with a clip at the end. When I attached the large cable to the solenoid all I heard was a click when I tried to start the engine. Well, the box also included a short wire with a clip that attaches to the other clip and has a round connector at the other end. I connected the two clip fittings together and hooked this wire to the solenoid as well. The engine started right up. After a short test drive I turned it off and when I tried to start the engine it hardly turned over at all. On checking the wires I found that the smaller wire with the clip connection that I had connected to the solenoid was extremely hot. After 15 minutes the car started right up again. I'm thinking that maybe I should just hook the old cable up and see what happens. Any other suggestions? I need to have it on the road Tues morning. HELP! E.

[Elvis]

Just a thought. When I hooked the smaller wire to the solenoid I hooked it to the large terminal that connects to the starter. I'm not a pro at this (obviously) but it would seem to me that it was then getting constant voltage and perhaps that is why it heated up. Should this smaller wire be hooked up to one of the two smaller terminals on the front of the solenoid. If so, which one - the "I" or the "S". Thanks for any assistance. E.

[rwhite65]

Elvis-
I can’t remember where that wire goes for sure, but when I get home tomorrow I will just take a picture where mine goes to and post it for you. I will get it uploaded so u can have it all done by Monday morning.

I know the wire goes up to the solenoid somewhere, but it was a few years ago when I put that on. Stay tuned.

If the wire is getting overly warm, that usually is a sign there is too much of a draw on that wire.....but we will get you taken care of.

Ryan

[Gearhead999]

On the Solenoid the "I" terminal is the ignition bypass for starting, usually goes to the "+" side of the coil. The "S" terminal is the input from the ignition switch to activiate the starter.

The main heavy cable that goes to the starter should be all you need at the starter for power. The small jumper has to go from the other wire to one of those terminals. There wasn't any instructions?? How about a web site??

When it started did the starter kick out or stay running?? If it didn't kick out it is hooked up wrong.

Sorry couldn't be more help then that.

[Elvis]

It is a "Ford Racing" mini-starter that I ordered from Mustangs Plus. There were no instructions in the box. I'm sure that the smaller wire needs to be hooked to something because all I heard was a "click" when I tried starting the engine without it hooked up. When I connected it to the large solenoid terminal the engine started fine but the small wire got too hot. I appreciate any assistance. E.

[rwhite65]

Sorry, I got side tracked to day. The yellow wire on this solenoid that comes of the right post as it faces you (runs in front of the Mallory box, is where it goes.

The other pic shows (kind of) where it goes off of the spade connector on the starter.

This help, need better pics?
Ryan

[Elvis]

OK, thanks. So the large starter cable connects to the solenoid terminal on the right side next to where the yellow wire is right? E.

[rwhite65]

Originally Posted by Elvis

OK, thanks. So the large starter cable connects to the solenoid terminal on the right side next to where the yellow wire is right? E.

Correct
Ryan

[Elvis]

Sorry for being such a nuisance but another small problem. I have the starter cable hooked up to the large terminal on the right side of the solenoid. I have the smaller wire (your yellow wire) hooked up to the small terminal on the front of the solenoid where your yellow wire is. This terminal is marked "I". The engine starts and runs great but the starter does not disengage. Any ideas? Once again, sorry to be a pain but I need to get this done. Thanks. E.

[Elvis]

OK, I come to you a much humbler shade tree mechanic. I should note that although my mini starter had no instructions I managed to find a website today that had a brief instruction sheet. I quickly disregarded the instructions because they made some silly direction to attach the starter cable to the same terminal that the positive battery cable connects to and to connect the small wire to the opposite terminal. Stupid! Besides "I don't need no stinkin' instructions". Well, after trying every variation possible and being firmly convinced that there was something wrong with the damn starter I came to the realization that the only thing I had not tried was the hook up on the instruction sheet. Well, it worked! After wrestling with removing and re-installing the headers and doing a trial and error exercise with the wiring I have successfully turned a half day project into a 3-day weekend operation. Wonderful! E.

[rwhite65]

The upside is it works correctly now
congradualtions!
Ryan

[Elvis]

I would like to say a big thank you to rwhite65 for his assistance. There are so many little idiosyncracies with these classic cars that sometimes what works for one won't work for another. However, it is great to have people willing to help. This site has been an incredible benefit to me. E.

[rwhite65]

If it were not for this site, my car would have never gotten to the level it has. Many, many guys have helped me over the years.
Ryan

[Elvis]

I'm not sure if my starter woes are finished. Actually it is working fine but now whenever I accelerate aggressively or torque the engine a bit I hear a metallic "pinging" almost like the starter gears are engaging slightly. It only lasts for a few seconds while the engine is under torque. Is this possible or could it be something else? The reason I thought it might be the starter is because that is the only thing I have changed. E.

[Phillyfanfrombirth]

Any chance that you bent the plate between the engine and transmission when you were replacing the starter? The "pinging" you're hearing could be a torque converter stud/nut hitting the bent plate...

[rwhite65]

Since the starter is the only thing you have messed with, makes one have to suspect it....but
What you are describing sounds like maybe your timing is a little too far advanced. Have you switched up with some junk gas lately? Touched the timing?

Have you looked up front near the fan to make sure nothing is too close to it, allowing it to hit when the engine torques?
Ryan

[Elvis]

Well, the only thing that comes to mind is the fan shroud. I had a quick look at it after reading your input and it is quite close to the fan in one area. I'll try to increase the clearance tomorrow and see what happens. I suppose that it is possible that when the engine torques a bit it is enough for the fan to clip the shroud. I don't think that I bent anything else when I installed the starter. It is somewhat difficult to isolate the source of the "pinging" while sitting in the car and travelling down the highway but it does seem to originate in the area of the starter - or perhaps my imagination is running amok. We shall see. E.

[Rev]

Originally Posted by Phillyfanfrombirth

Any chance that you bent the plate between the engine and transmission when you were replacing the starter? The "pinging" you're hearing could be a torque converter stud/nut hitting the bent plate...

It's painful for me to describe this, but I once did bend a flex plate by not alligning the drain plug on the torque convertor with the hole in the flex plate. What that meant was when I torqued down the studs holding the torque convertor to the flex plate it bent the flex plate big time. The car actually would start and run at low to normal rpms. When I ran it flat out at WOT the flex plate engaged the starter motor and fragged the teeth on the starter and flex plate. The way I determined that was to remove the inspection plate at the bottom of the bell housing and crank the engine. It was obvious that the flex plate had at least .5" of run out. Not what I wanted to see. I had to remove the tranny, get and install a new flex plate and convince AutoZone to give me a new starter. After all that was installed correctly with the drain cock lined up with the hole in the flex plate, all functioned well.

I just hope none of this little saga applies to you.

Rev

[Elvis]

I feel your pain Rev. I don't think that could have happened here because I merely pulled the big starter out and installed the mini starter. I don't believe I touched anything else - other than those damn headers! Anyway, I only had a few minutes today - my job jar from "She who must be obeyed" was full - but I did move the shroud a bit. Haven't had a chance to try it yet but tomorrow on the way to work I'll find out if there is any change. I'll let you know. E.