Academy car starter wiring help
Discussion
Happy Christmas!
I've hired a hoist over the Xmas period to get my engine in.
I'm confused with the starter motor/solenoid wiring. It's an Academy car so Ford Sigma. It has a master switch and starter button. The starter solednoid seems to have 2 terminals on the back, one insulated, one not. Can someone who has done this please explain which wires go to what terminals?
From the manual "Connect the red lead from the starter
motor to the battery. Also connect the black lead
on the main vehicle loom to the starter motor on
the same terminal."
The red lead must come from the master switch, not battery in my car I think. Don't know what/where the black lead is. And which terminal?!
Then it says "Connect the brown lead from the
alternator to the starter." ok at least I found this, but which terminal does it go to?
And finally "Connect the brown/red wire from the
chassis loom to the starter solenoid." Another red lead to the solenoid? where/what is this?
Sorry to be so thick but the build guide seems to assume a basic level of knowledge which I don't have when it comes to car electrics.
I've hired a hoist over the Xmas period to get my engine in.
I'm confused with the starter motor/solenoid wiring. It's an Academy car so Ford Sigma. It has a master switch and starter button. The starter solednoid seems to have 2 terminals on the back, one insulated, one not. Can someone who has done this please explain which wires go to what terminals?
From the manual "Connect the red lead from the starter
motor to the battery. Also connect the black lead
on the main vehicle loom to the starter motor on
the same terminal."
The red lead must come from the master switch, not battery in my car I think. Don't know what/where the black lead is. And which terminal?!
Then it says "Connect the brown lead from the
alternator to the starter." ok at least I found this, but which terminal does it go to?
And finally "Connect the brown/red wire from the
chassis loom to the starter solenoid." Another red lead to the solenoid? where/what is this?
Sorry to be so thick but the build guide seems to assume a basic level of knowledge which I don't have when it comes to car electrics.
Hey Don , Merry Christmas. the starter should have 3 wires on it in total. the big red one marked starter fromt he cut-off switch, the brown(altough mine was red so i put tape on it to distinguish it from the rest) from the alt and the brown/red wire from the loom. now the two big red wires should go to the large terminal and the small brown/red should got to the small terminal on the starter. i hope this makes sence and if not please email me and i will call you and talk you through it. oh and the black wire from the battery goes to the starter bolt/bellhousing. i would fit this first to the engine out of the car then connect it to the battery once in the car.
I too had this problem of identifying the correct wires and had a sleepless night but come the morning i had a ureeka moment and went out and fitted it.
Good luck with it all.
Ed.
I too had this problem of identifying the correct wires and had a sleepless night but come the morning i had a ureeka moment and went out and fitted it.
Good luck with it all.
Ed.
Hi Ed,
Thanks for the reply (especially today!)
Here is a photo of the back of my solenoid terminal with numbers on the terminals:
Would you mind telling me what wire goes on to what terminal?
In my loom I have these wires:
Both red come from the master switch area, so I presume one goes to starter (which terminal?!) and one goes to battery. And is the black one in the picture the one refered to here in the manual? "Also connect the black lead on the main vehicle loom to the starter motor on
the same terminal." (which terminal would that be???!!!)
Thanks very much Ed for helping me here. Hoping to get it sorted in my mind before the Christmas haze descends
I'm already in enough trouble with the family!
Thanks for the reply (especially today!)
Here is a photo of the back of my solenoid terminal with numbers on the terminals:
Would you mind telling me what wire goes on to what terminal?
In my loom I have these wires:
Both red come from the master switch area, so I presume one goes to starter (which terminal?!) and one goes to battery. And is the black one in the picture the one refered to here in the manual? "Also connect the black lead on the main vehicle loom to the starter motor on
the same terminal." (which terminal would that be???!!!)
Thanks very much Ed for helping me here. Hoping to get it sorted in my mind before the Christmas haze descends
I'm already in enough trouble with the family!Ok the two reds. the larger of the two goes on terminal 2, terminal 1 leave alone. no need to touch it. the other red goes to the battery , the bolt hole is smaller and matches that of the battery terminal.
The small black wire(mentioned in the manual) from the loom should go on terminal 3, not sure what the wire is on it already. Could you let me know where it runs?
The other wire from the alt. should go on the same terminal as the big red one, not the small black.
In simple terms the starter should have 'power', thats from the big red wire and 'signal' thats from the small black wire. thats how the starter works.
The Alt. needs power too, thats from the big brown(or what ever coulour yours is) to the starter.
I hope this solves the issues and that your fmily dont moan too much.
Ed.
The small black wire(mentioned in the manual) from the loom should go on terminal 3, not sure what the wire is on it already. Could you let me know where it runs?
The other wire from the alt. should go on the same terminal as the big red one, not the small black.
In simple terms the starter should have 'power', thats from the big red wire and 'signal' thats from the small black wire. thats how the starter works.
The Alt. needs power too, thats from the big brown(or what ever coulour yours is) to the starter.
I hope this solves the issues and that your fmily dont moan too much.
Ed.
It's in! Glad I did the starter wiring beforehand as it does look tight in there. Bloody good feeling now that it's in!
I also filled the gearbox before too, but I lost a bit of oil, maybe a quarter to third of a pint onto the floor in the process. I might just pretend it didn't happen. Might attempt wiring tomorrow.
I also filled the gearbox before too, but I lost a bit of oil, maybe a quarter to third of a pint onto the floor in the process. I might just pretend it didn't happen. Might attempt wiring tomorrow.
Edited by don777 on Thursday 27th December 00:17
Hi Don,
Just to make it a little clearer for you, the solenoid is the small cylinder with the three connections on it. 1 is the actual power supply to make the starter run, 3 is the trigger wire (from the starter switch) which makes the starter soleniod close (its an elecro magnetic switch) which in turn passes the current from the battery via terminal 2 on to terminal 1.The other wire for the starter is the earth through the cars chassis. The reason for the alternator being connected to terminal 2 is its a convienent place to connect the alternator output to the battery for chargeing the battery.
Hope this is of help. Terminal 2 is often used to supply power to other circuits because it is connected directly to the battery via a heavy cable.
Just to make it a little clearer for you, the solenoid is the small cylinder with the three connections on it. 1 is the actual power supply to make the starter run, 3 is the trigger wire (from the starter switch) which makes the starter soleniod close (its an elecro magnetic switch) which in turn passes the current from the battery via terminal 2 on to terminal 1.The other wire for the starter is the earth through the cars chassis. The reason for the alternator being connected to terminal 2 is its a convienent place to connect the alternator output to the battery for chargeing the battery.
Hope this is of help. Terminal 2 is often used to supply power to other circuits because it is connected directly to the battery via a heavy cable.
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