For What Its Worth

Remote Starter Solenoid

With headers or for other reasons, you may want to add a remote solenoid to drive the starter.

The following is an outline of how I did it and how we did it on race cars. 
Some Ford starters were wired this way stock. This has only 1 wire running down to the starter and it is only energized while starting.  Less chance of shorting against headers and fewer wires underneath.  It uses what is normally called a "Ford Solenoid" as the remote solenoid. 

The jumper wire on the starter solenoid requires a large end for the big battery terminal and a small end to the start terminal on the starter solenoid.  When the main wire that powers the starter is energized, the solenoid is energized at the same time.  Starter runs.  When the remote solenoid is powered down, no power to the starter and the starter disengages.   This is a picture of the jumper on my starter.


The Ford Solenoid as it is called, can be mounted up high on the firewall or fender as you desire. Make sure the mount point is grounded well or it wont work. 

I have not had any run on problems, but some people warn of a 1-2 second starter run on after releasing the key.  This is with some permanent magnet starters. The run on is usually noisy with a grinding sound.  The starter may try to stay engaged in the flywheel because the starter might act like a generator after power is shutoff and back feed enough voltage to keep the solenoid partially energized.  A sticky solenoid or misaligned starter gear teeth that do not disengage easily may cause or add to a run on also.  I have not had this problem with my starter.

Happy Motoring, VHubbard.  Last update Oct 23 2009

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