Starter Wiring, Why doesn't my car look like all the others?!? Options

[Blue Lightning]

1976 2.0. Putting engine back in after a 2056-dectomy, but it has been out too long and as usual I didn't take enough pictures of all the important connections.

There are many threads on wiring for the starter. However, I have one additional wire that I don't see in any of those threads, but I marked as going to the starter solenoid.

Wire in my hand:

Way off to right:

Out of focus in center:



The wire in question is red and has a spade terminal on the end. It is not the cable that runs from the alternator. My best guess as of today is that is leads up to the firewall and goes through here:


Thoughts? Car has air conditioning, so is this part of that?

[Jack Standz]

Your car looks different because it's been modified.

Some people do this to address "hot start" problems. Some don't make this modification because they believe the problem is actually caused by corroded wires or the amperage draw from a Bosch starter (replace with a Hi-Torque or other starter that doesn't draw too many amps). Your call.

Further discussion and a schematic can be found here:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/lofiversion/i...t308904-50.html

[Blue Lightning]

Your car looks different because it's been modified.

Some people do this to address "hot start" problems. Some don't make this modification because they believe the problem is actually caused by corroded wires or the amperage draw from a Bosch starter (replace with a Hi-Torque or other starter that doesn't draw too many amps). Your call.

Further discussion and a schematic can be found here:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/lofiversion/i...t308904-50.html

Agreed my car has the "hot start" mod.

But I still have the same question: what is the red wire with the spade terminal for that I'm holding in my hand? This doesn't appear to be part of the mod -- it comes through the engine tin, is about the correct length to connect to the starter solenoid, and appears to run back through the firewall.

[Rob-O]

Follow it through the engine tin. Where does it go (or connect) in the engine bay?

[Blue Lightning]

Follow it through the engine tin. Where does it go (or connect) in the engine bay?

My best guess as of today is that is leads up to the firewall and goes through here:

[Dlee6205]

Agreed my car has the "hot start" mod.

But I still have the same question: what is the red wire with the spade terminal for that I'm holding in my hand? This doesn't appear to be part of the mod -- it comes through the engine tin, is about the correct length to connect to the starter solenoid, and appears to run back through the firewall.

The answer to your question is we don't know... its custom. Tracing this wire through the tunnel to see where it terminates will likely help answer your question.

Does your starter circuit currently work as-is? It could be a ground for the hot start solenoid but I have my doubts. Are you sure that particular wire goes to the starter area and not somewhere else? Do you have any other custom additions such as an oil pressure gauge?

[Spoke]

1976 2.0. Putting engine back in after a 2056-dectomy, but it has been out too long and as usual I didn't take enough pictures of all the important connections.

There are many threads on wiring for the starter. However, I have one additional wire that I don't see in any of those threads, but I marked as going to the starter solenoid.

Wire in my hand:

Way off to right:

Out of focus in center:



The wire in question is red and has a spade terminal on the end. It is not the cable that runs from the alternator. My best guess as of today is that is leads up to the firewall and goes through here:


Thoughts? Car has air conditioning, so is this part of that?

Where does that black wire end up? What is it attached to? It almost looks like some kind of power wire.

As others have said, you have the 'Ford Relay' modification. To really understand each wire you'd have to make a simple schematic drawing yourself then others can help you wire it.

Follow each wire to where it goes and document it. You're is a custom configuration from OEM.

[Dlee6205]

I just saw where you said your car has AC... its entirely possible to be power for that too.

[Blue Lightning]

The answer to your question is we don't know... its custom. Tracing this wire through the tunnel to see where it terminates will likely help answer your question.

Does your starter circuit currently work as-is? It could be a ground for the hot start solenoid but I have my doubts. Are you sure that particular wire goes to the starter area and not somewhere else? Do you have any other custom additions such as an oil pressure gauge?

Not sure if the starter circuit works today. It did before I pulled the engine back in June. Trying to wire it back up now.

To your point, maybe trying it without the wire connected and see what doesn't work?

[emerygt350]

That is a beefy wire. The mod grounds to the case, so that isn't it. I don't know anything about AC on these but I suspect they would have their own fan and that kind of beefy wire makes me think it could be high amp switched power to something like that. I can't believe they wouldn't just use a relay but the fact they didn't do that on our ignition is why that mod is there.

[930cabman]

Waay to messy for me, I would lose the Ford relay and bring it back to stock

quick, simple, easy

[emerygt350]

But doesn't address the problem of the mystery wire.

Blue, The purpose of the mod is to keep the high amperage draw off your ignition switch and reduce the likelihood of you running yourself over while you hotwire the car while lying in a puddle during a rainstorm. Sure, you could return it to stock if you ran all fresh wires, but there is a reason many of us have the Ford solenoid. And even the new ignition switches are crap.

If you take the time you can wire it up so it looks neat and tidy and almost like it came from the factory that way.

[Blue Lightning]

That is a beefy wire. The mod grounds to the case, so that isn't it. I don't know anything about AC on these but I suspect they would have their own fan and that kind of beefy wire makes me think it could be high amp switched power to something like that. I can't believe they wouldn't just use a relay but the fact they didn't do that on our ignition is why that mod is there.

The AC may be a red herring. If I were running new wiring for a high-current device, I wouldn't go all the way back to the starter for it -- the battery is much closer.

[Blue Lightning]

Waay to messy for me, I would lose the Ford relay and bring it back to stock

quick, simple, easy

I will dress the wiring and make it look neat. However it needs to work before spending time and zip-ties on that.

[Blue Lightning]

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