Starter Solenoid

[442_Mustang]

Ok, Quick question. What little wire goes where on the solenoid on a 72 Olds 455. Purple wire and yellow wire. Also, there's a small black wire that also goes down there but is cut right after that insulator tube at the back of the head. What's that for? It's been years since I pulled this apart and I have to pull the starter to hook up the wires. I forgot what wire went where and I don't know about that black wire... I'm gonna drop the starter right now and check back in a bit. Hope to get a quicky, I mean Quick reply back
derrick

[wolfman98]

well I have a 69 455 and the 3 wires to my starter are 3 different sizes. The largest is for the posative battery cable the smallest is the black and is the ground i believe and goes at the very back the third I have is slightly biggar than the black and is yellow and goes to the far right as you are looking at it. Not sure about a purplish colored wire. do you have 3 wires plus the battery cable hook-up?

[442_Mustang]

Yes. There's the large battery terminal, a smaller purple wire, then a smaller yellowish/whitish wire. Then going down to the harness is a small black wire that appears to have been broken off long ago. That wire isn't long enough to make it o the starter. Just looks like it was pinched off. There's the small terminals on the solenoid. one has what looks to be a S near it. The other looks like a K. Maybe an R. Many years ago I knew this but I'm just old now. Thanks

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by 442_Mustang

Yes. There's the large battery terminal, a smaller purple wire, then a smaller yellowish/whitish wire. Then going down to the harness is a small black wire that appears to have been broken off long ago. That wire isn't long enough to make it o the starter. Just looks like it was pinched off. There's the small terminals on the solenoid. one has what looks to be a S near it. The other looks like a K. Maybe an R. Many years ago I knew this but I'm just old now. Thanks

The two smaller terminals are marked "S" (for Start) and "R" (for ???). The S terminal is the one that gets power when you turn the key to the START position. The R terminal is simply a 12V source while you are cranking. It is typically used to bypass the resistor wire to provide full voltage to the points when starting.

The purple wire should be the one that goes to the S terminal. The yellow/black wire should be the one that goes to the R terminal. In any case, the thicker of the two wires is the one that goes to the S terminal.

[88 coupe]

Originally Posted by joe_padavano

........ and "R" (for ?) ........

Resistor.

You might want to re read the rest.

Norm

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by 88 coupe

You might want to re read the rest.

Norm

Did you mean this?

Originally Posted by joe_padavano

The S terminal is the one that gets power when you turn the key to the START position.

That's probably not the most clear thing I've ever written. It should say that +12V is applied to the S terminal (via the purple wire) when you turn the key to START.

[88 coupe]

Originally Posted by joe_padavano

........ That's probably not the most clear thing I've ever written ........

It was clear enough.

I think I may have read something that was not there. Or maybe I did not read something that is there.

Norm

[442_Mustang]

Thanks all. I am changing out the ignition to a MSD setup. I'm not going to need that yellow wire to the points. I just gotta run a 12 volt wire from the ign. switch on top of the column for my control box. Replace the pink(I think) Resistor wire from the ignition switch to the coil