starter wiring..

[smak]

just wanted to go over the starter wiring on my '94 mtx.

there are four cables that connect to the solenoid right? the trigger spade wire, the short braided ground strap, and two wires with long flat metal ends.

how do you tell wich of those last two wires go to wich solenoid terminal? i think i read in another thread that the one comming off the (-) battery wire goes to the ground strap terminal?

also, any tricks to getting to that higher 1/2 inch starter mounting bolt off? the rear one was easy although its got a ground strap that seems to be fused onto the bolt keeping me from rotating it out completely.

 

[SHOZ123]

You should have a large wire coming directly to the starter solenoid from the battery, a large cable coming from the alternator and attached to the same terminal the battery cable is connected. The large ground attached to the starter mounting stud (put a washer on top of the cable lug for easy removal next time) and the small trigger wire with the spade terminal. The short braided wire goes from the switched side of the solenoid to the starter brushes and is not a ground wire but is hot when the engine is cranking.

 

[smak]

so the switched side terminal has only that short braided cable running to the brushes and nothing else? i could have sworn it had another connetion on it.

also i'm having trouble getting at the second mounting bolt and am surprised nobody else mentions any heartache with it.

to be sure i'm in the right place, the second mounting bolt (not with the grounding cable) faces the opposite direction than the first right, and seems to thread to the backside of the solenoid?

started raining while i was just out there wrenching, when i get back i think a long extention and breaker bar through the engine bay should do the trick.

thnx for the reply

 

[SHOZ123]

Yes the short braided wire on the switched side of the solenoid will only be the one wire. It is only hot in start.

It has been a two years since I changed a V6 starter but I don't remember it as being difficult, other than the ground wire. Maybe a long extension? Takes longer to jack up, support the car and gather the tools IIRC.

 

[smak]

sunofa... grr.

kay my issues removing the starter were cause i tried to do it from underneath.

i removed the driver side tire, baffle in the fenderwell and voila.. easy peasy. but that ground wire/bolt that was "fused" was actually double bolted. so i should have had a wrench and socket under there to remove the top bolt, then the ground wire and then then remove the bolt itself.

ended up busting the ground wire, which seems to have been done before cause i followed the wire back and its already been spliced. gotta splice again now finding new wire. or maybe i'll just strip the housing on the end and mash it into the bolt for now heh.

thnx again though with the wiring clear up.

on my way to finishing the "easy starter replacement"

 

[Shoaz]

kay my issues removing the starter were cause i tried to do it from underneath.

i removed the driver side tire, baffle in the fenderwell and voila.. easy peasy. but that ground wire/bolt that was "fused" was actually double bolted. so i should have had a wrench and socket under there to remove the top bolt, then the ground wire and then then remove the bolt itself.

...

on my way to finishing the "easy starter replacement"

The starter is fairly easy to get at if you jack the front of the car onto jackstands or put the front on ramps. From underneath it's fairly easily accessible.