I am installing a new Pertronix distributor and min starter in my 68 Cutlass. I’m a little confused on how to best modify my stock engine wiring harness. Here is what I think I need to do. Can someone confirm that this is correct or not?

1) Just remove the yellow wire from starter going to the coil.

2) Replace the resistance wire from the bulkhead on the firewall with a plain 12 gauge wire going from the bulkhead to the coil.

Is this all that I need to do? Any help appreciated.

 

No. The yellow wire is what provides power to the coil when the ignition is in the START position. Without it the car will never start, it will just crank. You need to either use a relay or a diode to provide a 12V feed from the "S" terminal of the starter to the coil that is only hot in the START position. The diode or relay is necessary to prevent ignition power to the coil from holding the starter engaged when you release the key. Cars with factory HEI have a separate terminal on the ignition switch that provides power to the HEI in both the START and RUN positions that eliminates this problem. Your car with points does not have this feature.

 

Thanks for reply Joe! So I keep the yellow wire I wondered about that. The mini starter has just has one terminal do I put the yellow and purple wire on the same terminal?

Thanks,

 

From above:

 

Thanks for reply Joe! So I keep the yellow wire I wondered about that. The mini starter has just has one terminal do I put the yellow and purple wire on the same terminal?

Thanks,

 

You can only put the yellow wire on the same terminal as the purple if you use a blocking diode. Without it the starter will crank as long as the key is on. I suggest you wire it using a Ford starter solenoid.




If you want to go the diode route, you can buy this diode kit or make one yourself.
https://www.opgi.com/ignition-electr...e-ch30636.html

 

Thanks Oldcutlass.

So I would need to do the following to use the mini starter and the Pertronix flame thrower III distributor.

1) Replace the resistance wire from the firewall bulk head to the coil with a plain 12 gauge wire.

2) Add the Pertronix diode kit to the yellow wire going from the starter relay to the coil.

3) Wire the yellow wire (now green wire with the Powermaster diode kit) and the purple wire together on the same terminal on the mini starter.

4) Wire the Pertronix distributor as instructed to the coil.

Good to go! Right? Thanks all!

 

Yes x4

 

Sorry for resurrecting a slightly old thread but I wanted to clarify one statement made here as I am in the same bucket.
One item mentioned above about replacing the resistance wire with a 12 gauge. Which wire is the resistance wire, is it this one I have circled here? Would I just cut below the black area of the wire and then put a regular 12 gauge on it and a ring terminal and place back on the distribution/horn relay block ?

 

You've circled three wires in that photo, and none of them are the resistor wire to the coil. FYI, that wire with the cylindrical splice in it is a fusible link. The resistor wire will run from the firewall connector to the coil, not from the starter.

 

Thanks Joe so the only other wire coming off my bulkhead connector to the coil is this one here. so what exactly is needed to be done with this yellow/beaded wire ? I’m a little unclear as the previous post just mentioned replace with a 12 gauge wire.

 

That's apparently a repro wire harness? Since it isn't factory, we'll ASSUME the cloth covered wire is the resistor wire. The yellow wire is the bypass that runs a full 12V to the coil for starting).

 

Yes sir it is a repo my original harness was very brittle when I put the new motor in I figured new wiring wouldn’t hurt I got it from a fusick. So now that we have it eliminated the cloth covered wire I need to splice into that (eliminate it from coil ?) and run it to a 12 V switched source? This way 12v goes to the coil in the run position ?

 

Correct

 

Thanks Joe as always a wealth of knowledge I appreciate it

 

What I did was unwrap the wiring harness and replaced the entire resistor wire from the bulkhead with a new wire. The terminal used in the bulkhead as a readily available part and this makes a cleaner changed without a splice in the wire and then just wrap it back up. The non stick tape is readily available as well. And if you are running the mini starter you can splice in the diode in the yellow wire while you have it all unwrapped and then rewrap it and done.

 

Tjohn8573, If you are installing an HEI distributor then you can remove your old ignition coil. The yellow wire is there to give your points system a boost while cranking for easier starting. The fabric colored wire IS the resistor wire that supplies your ignition coil EVEN WHILE CRANKING. The resistor wire is exactly that. It supplies your ignition coil with 8-9 volts from your ign switch in the run or crank mode. The yellow wire supplies 12 volts to increase the voltage to your ignition coil so you have a hotter spark ONLY WHILE the starter is engaged. If you are installing an HEI distributor you must run at least a 12-14 gauge wire to the HEI,10 gauge would be even better. Run the power from the ignition switch or wherever there is power during run and crank modes only. If you are installing a mini-starter then you only need to attach the battery POS cable, obviously, and the purple crank wire. The yellow wire is no longer needed. I hope this was helpful. Good luck and take care.

 

It appears that the OP has a Pertronix or MSD with an external coil, not a GM HEI. Note the distributor cap in Post #9.

 

Question on your post:

With points and the mini starter, can you just abandon the yellow wire and use the resistor wire to provide current both during cranking and running ? May not start as quick?

 

Look again. He doesn't have points. He has a small cap aftermarket electronic distributor. Don't confuse the original thread with the resurrected thread, which starts at Post #9.