Starter help needed now PLEASE!!!

for a mini starter you might need to hook the thick red wire to the positive side of your starter solenoid, and the small red one to the other side. the small red wire is the actuator, and it is what really engages it since there is always 12v going to the large red wire. hope it works for ya!

agreed - the thick red wire 89 speaks of: run it from the output of the stock solenoid to the spade connection spot on the new solenoid/starter (im guessing on this, but the spade should be the trigger or actuator, as said above).

good luck.

You may need a '93 spec solenoid with the longer stud to put the heavy gauge wire on. These starters run a hot from the battery to the starter as said above and use a smaller wire to actuate the starter's solenoid.

Jamie

Jamie is right on. ill toss more info out, as it sounds like you are a little lost. the stock solenoid has one hot-side terminal (with all the cables on it) and one switched side (only the large cable on it - cable goes to the starter in oem configuration).

now you have a second solenoid on your new mini starter. so disconnect the battery (should be already. to prevent shorts). if you can, move the single cable that is on the stock solenoid, to the other side (with all the other cables). this is where Jamie is saying you might need a newer model solenoid, to accomodate the additional terminal on the solenoid lug).

get some wire and connect one end to the now barren oem starter solenoid lug (you just took the cable off of it and moved the cable to the other side). run your wire to the new starter's solenoid. put it on the spade connector (might say 'activate' or trigger or something).

so now, operating wise: you turn the key to start. the interlock devices all work, juice goes to the thin wire on top of the oem starter solenoid. the solenoid switches, and sends juice down the wire you ran (from the once barren lug) to the new starter's solenoid. this switches the solenoid on the new starter. you have battery power hooked to it already (when you moved the single big cable on the oem solenoid to the other side with all the other cables). so it should start.

Jamie, et al, does this sound right? (i have not done one of these, so im using my [usually flawed. LOL] logic to try and help him out).

thanks for the kind words. sorry to hear the starter is not working right. IIRC, some of the mini starters require shims to ensure proper bendix engagement, but that does not sound like your problem.
i think you know what ya got to do - take it out and bench test it. maybe you can return or warranty it. let us know what happens.
good luck Matt.

sorry to hear that, man. stories like that make me want to use Allerstart or PA Performance for that stuff. thanks for the heads up, and good luck.

you could get a 93 starter (mini version, from ford) and use it. the wiring should be the same as you have now. you could sell the one you get (i hate to see you be stuck waiting again, for something that may not work).

good luck and let us know how it goes.