Starter Wiring help

golf4283 · Apr 3, 2009

Ok so I am planning to start my car for the first time but can't for the life of me get this starter wired up for some reason. Here's a couple pics to show.

The larger wire on the starter is on the left + side of the starter solenoid and the smaller wire is hooked up to the right side which I was under the assumption engaged when the starter was going.

For some reason it would crank when set to "on" and the cranking would stop when i would put it into the start position.

Now all it does is click like crazy so I'm worried the starter went bad.

Here's the pics.

Cupid · Apr 3, 2009

I actually did this today and mine worked once I figured I needed to bypass the park/neutral safety wiring. (I went from FMX to T45)

We actually need to see a picture of your firewall starter solenoid. From what you state, you seem to have everything connected properly, but from the actions of your system, something is definitely out of whack (terminals backwards, etc.)

golf4283 · Apr 3, 2009

ok here's the pic. The wire to the right is the small guage. I have obviously tons of other crap on here for my MSD box and fan etc but that shouldn't affect anything.

2nd Mustang · Apr 3, 2009

What year engine?

If I remember correctly, LARGE GAUGE wire from ground source in engine compartment to one side of starter and another LARGE GAUGE wire from other lug on starter to solenoid. When you crank starter, solenoid sends juice from battery to starter. Positive and negative power then turns starter. That second wire from the solenoid looks too skinny. Be careful, it may not be able to handle the amperage and overload the skinny wire.

golf4283 · Apr 4, 2009

See that makes sense but the powermaster directions say to hook up the large cable to the + side of the battery terminal on the solenoid and the small gauge wire to the opposite side. It makes no sense.

golf4283 · Apr 4, 2009

like at first having it hooked up this way the engine would crank when the key was in the "on" position. Now it won't even do that and the solenoid just clicks like crazy which worries me I fried the starter, which is 4 years old but the car has been out of comission for 3.5 years during restoration.

There's gotta be someone who knows how to wire this thing properly.

Thanks.

2nd Mustang · Apr 4, 2009

http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/097__Mastertorque_Chevy_starter.pdf

In these instructions from the Powermaster website, the positive and negative cables should be the same size. It mentions that the switched wire should be typically a 12 gauge wire.

golf4283 · Apr 4, 2009

I guess I'm still not understanding the wiring though. You say I should be grounding one of the wires?

BubbaB1966 · Apr 4, 2009

Your solenoid is probably toast now. Sounds to me like you have the "S" and "I" terminal wires backwards. The solenoid should not pull in in "ON". If it had constant voltage applied while you were troubleshooting, it probably smoked the solenoid coil.

Been there, done that.

2nd Mustang · Apr 4, 2009

Looking at your first picture, it looks like your PowerMaster starter has a built in solenoid on the starter, which would negate using the stock solenoid.

Did you replace the original starter with the Power Master?

2nd Mustang · Apr 4, 2009

I don't have my Mustang with me at the moment so looked into my manuals. The original starter has one cable termination (solenoid to starter) which is a cable the same gauge as the positive battery cable. The starter picks up it's ground from the engine block. When you turn on the key, the solenoid allows battery plus voltage to contact the cable leading to the starter which then in turn allows the starter to crank.

Judging by the pictures you posted, it looks like you have a dual solenoid setup now. I would suggest contacting Power Master for trouble shooting as playing with battery voltage right off the battery can be very dangerous.

BubbaB1966 · Apr 4, 2009

Just looked at a wiring diagram, you appear to be wired correctly.

Mil1ion · Apr 4, 2009

You only need one starter relay.. Why do you have both hooked up ?

Use the one on the starter not the one on the fender.

latamud · Apr 5, 2009

It doesn't matter if you have two wire relays. I have both of mine. And, the Mopar guys have a relay built in on their starters and they sometime add a Ford relay. It's hard to jump a starter from under the car. I agree that your I and S wires are crossed, considering you said it would crank in the ON position and not in the Start. If that is the case, and given now your solenoid buzzes, my question is: does it buzz with the key in the ON position? That could indicate a low battery, or a bad starter.

The ignition switch is supposed to work progressively to get the car started. The ON position is hit first and stays on while trying start the car. The Start position is only on for the short time you have the key in that position. When the Key hits the on position it sends a charge to the coil and waits for the starter to turn everything over so it can send the charge out.
If your wires are crossed, the starter is engaged in the ON position and the coil gets charge in the START position, the engine will run for a few seconds with the starter still engaged until you let the key off the START position (because the charge isn't reaching the coil anymore). With the key left in the ON position though it will keep the starter spinning and can overheat it.

Test and charge your battery. Then, swap the two middle wires on the solenoid.
That will probably take care of it. If the battery is good, get the starter tested.

Tim65GT · Apr 5, 2009

You may have a stuck solenoid or the wire that is supposed to be coming from the start side of the ignition switch somehow got switched with a battery or ignition sourced wire.

1. Check your battery voltage. It should be stay between 10-12volts while cranking.

2. Disconnect the wire from the "S" terminal (left small wire) and check to make sure that wire coming from the Ign switch only has voltage when cranking. If good hook it back up.

3. Disconnect the 12 gauge wire off from the right side of the solenoid (going to the starter) and check to make sure that the terminal only has voltage when cranking. The solenoid should click closed while turning the key to start. If good, hook the starter wire back up.

4. Try it now.

Here are a couple threads on wiring Mini Starters:

http://forums.stangnet.com/763810-starter-solenoid-problem.html

http://forums.stangnet.com/667850-mini-starter-wiring.html

Here is a diagram before (with a standard starter) and after with a ministarter:

Here is how I did mine. I replaced the fender mounted solenoid with a standard Bosch type relay mounted (behind the firewall).

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