mini starter, how do you wire it? Options

[VaccaRabite]

I have a starter solenoid. How do you wire the mini starter (the kind with the blue wire on top). It did not come with instructions, and I am a total hamfisted noob when it comes to electrical things.

Zach

[r_towle]

I am not sure what you have, but let me try to explain in general terms...I am certain someone will correct me...lol

A relay is a switch, it turns on and off.
It requires very little juice (amps) to do this.

A typical relay (starter relay, starter solenoid...same thing for this discussion) has four wires...
Two large ones, and two small ones.
the two large ones are on either side of the switch.
the two small ones are the actual switch.
(Side note, for this discussion there are two hot leads and two grounds, so if you only see two wires or three,,,,the body of the unit needs to be grounded to complete the circuit, and that would be one of the four legs I talked about above)

So, we need to switch a large amount of amps...(starter)
Instead of running big wires up to a big ignition switch, we use a starter relay or solenoid.
Two of the big wires are bolted to the relay/solenoid.
The two little wires (or one wire and ground) close this relay/solenoid and connect the two large wires.

Its a magnetic field, but that really does not matter.

so, take the switch/relay/solenoid and put it on the bench.
Get a battery and a few jumper leads.
Ground out the body with a jumper cable (body of the starter)
touch the hot lead to the small spade terminal and you will hear a click....its pretty loud...its a large piece of metal sliding into place to close the switch and complete a high voltage circuit.

If I got off track
two little wires activate the relay.
This connects the two bigger wires.

So, you really cant figure it our without power attached to the little wires and ground...then you should be able to figure out which one is which..

rich

[VaccaRabite]

Where do the wires plug into the mini starter?

Zach

[Dr Evil]

the little spade connector is the yellow wire from your ignition switch that triggers the starter solinoid. The big freaking wire from your battery goes to the terminal on the starter and is constant power. Also, the wire from your alternator for B+ out goes to the same post on your starter as this is charging power back to the battery. Clear enough?

[Lavanaut]

[edited]

Not sure if this will help or not, it's the only decent pic I have from my swap-out:

[Joe Ricard]

Yep looks just like mine. and FYI they wire up the same as stock.