Period wiring loom to pre engaged starter

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Jono
998 Cooper
Posts: 552
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:34 pm

Period wiring loom to pre engaged starter

Post by Jono »

I've re wired my 65 Mk1 Mini using a loom obtained from M Machine a couple of years ago - it's beautifully made cotton braided thing.

My car currently has a donor lump from a '92 RSP Cooper (at least for the moment while I complete a period engine build). I think you know where this is going :?

It looks like I will have to make up a fly lead/loom section to get from the solenoid tails to the starter motor. I know nothing about pre engaged starters but i gather, in addition to being pre engaged of course, that they are akin to a starter with solenoid combined.

Could someone advise how to wire this arrangement up? I don't want to butcher the loom as when I put in the period engine I will have the conventional starter and remote solenoid arrangement.

Many thanks.

Jon
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dklawson
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Re: Period wiring loom to pre engaged starter

Post by dklawson »

There are several ways to handle this. I will suggestion one.

Since you don't want to cut any of the new loom, make the following observations and changes. Leave all the old wires and cables on the original remote solenoid. Connect the old starter motor cable between the remote solenoid and the pre-engaged starter's threaded post. Connect a jumper wire between the pre-engaged starter's (battery in) threaded post and the larger of its two spade terminals.

What does this do? On later cars with the pre-engaged starters there is a starter relay your car will not have. When you turn the key on a later car it energizes the starter relay which passes current to the large starter solenoid spade terminal. That in turn actuates the pre-engaged solenoid and then spins the starter motor. In effect, by adding the jumper wire your old remote solenoid will simultaneously supply current to the pre-engaged starter's motor and its solenoid. Your old remote solenoid becomes both a current source and trigger for the pre-engaged solenoid.

See the picture in the link below (not my picture... just found it). Note the terminal identifications on the pre-engaged solenoid (left image).
http://s350.photobucket.com/user/shnevp ... s.jpg.html

This is the easiest way to use the donor engine and inertia starter. There are other ways.
Doug L.
Jono
998 Cooper
Posts: 552
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:34 pm

Re: Period wiring loom to pre engaged starter

Post by Jono »

Many thanks Doug, that's a great help.

Regards

Jon
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