Silly starter hook up question

[docgab]

Please excuse my silly/noobish questions but what little knowledge I had about my Blazer slowly dissipated over the three years I was without it! lol

I need to make sure about the correct way to hook up my starter.

Wire 1 hooks up to terminal B below and wire 2 along with the positive cable from the battery goes to terminal A? Is that correct?

I know this is a simple question, but the blazer came to me with the starter out of it already, and it has been forever since I had to change it out.

I was also wondering how one knows when the starter needs to be shimmed. All help is appreciated. :-)

 

[lak2004]

Looks right to me as long that "b" terminal has an S next to it.

 

[docgab]

Fantastic. I couldn't really see any other way to hook it up, but knowing me, I probably would have come up with something never seen before and melted my whole truck or something. lol

Thanks much!

 

[shaun89]

not to be a jerk, but look at the sizes of the studs/wire ends. haha,we all feel stupid sometimes.

 

[lak2004]

Yea i wasnt goin to say anything but i would recommend upgrading that wiring to a thicker gauge. just a thought while your in there

 

[docgab]

not to be a jerk, but look at the sizes of the studs/wire ends. haha,we all feel stupid sometimes.

lol. Not sure if you are saying I need thicker wire, or that it is physically impossible for the smaller one to fit on the larger one and the larger on the smaller wouldn't be right either.

I guess my question really was, does the positive cable also go on the solenoid, and does the smaller wire go on the terminal with an "s" next to it or an "r" next to it.


I am so ignorant about these vehicles, that I don't even feel stupid anymore. I just don't want to piss anyone off due to my ignorance. lol

 

[dremu]

lol. Not sure if you are saying I need thicker wire, or that it is physically impossible for the smaller one to fit on the larger one and the larger on the smaller wouldn't be right either.

I guess my question really was, does the positive cable also go on the solenoid, and does the smaller wire go on the terminal with an "s" next to it or an "r" next to it.

I am so ignorant about these vehicles, that I don't even feel stupid anymore. I just don't want to piss anyone off due to my ignorance. lol

GM used the starter solenoid post (the big post) as a junction block, so yeah, the terminal with the giant hole (your #2) does go there. IIRC, those wires go up to the firewall (there's a fusible link or two involved) and then maybe a junction block on the firewall.

Just to state what should be obvious, there is also the larger (~4AWG, ~1/2" diameter) wire that goes to the battery that also goes on that post.

Your #1 goes up and eventually makes it to the steering column, fed from the "start" position of the key switch. (Now, I can NEVER remember what the S and R are ... but it only works on one of them and if you get it wrong, IIRC, no fuses blow, it just doesn't do anything =))

Make sense?

-- A

 

[4X4HIGH]

The (S) is for start, the (R) is for relay. The old cars and possibly older trucks with points ignitions used the (R) terminal. There was a wire that went from the (R) terminal on the solenoid to the positive terminal of the coil to give a full 12 volts to the points only when cranking to make it easier for the engine to start but once you release the key then the coil only got 9.6 or so volts to keep the points happy.

 

[dremu]

The (S) is for start, the (R) is for relay. The old cars and possibly older trucks with points ignitions used the (R) terminal. There was a wire that went from the (R) terminal on the solenoid to the positive terminal of the coil to give a full 12 volts to the points only when cranking to make it easier for the engine to start but once you release the key then the coil only got 9.6 or so volts to keep the points happy.

Okay, "S" is the important one. I'll see if I can remember that.

Points. Shudder. I hate points. The K5 had a points dizzy when I got it ... actually, it still does, just with a Pertronix conversion. Seeing as I now have extra HEI dizzies, I'm gonna switch it out the next time it needs wires... shudder. I hate points.

-- A

 

[Randy92782]

Looks like the wiring questions have been answered so i'll throw out a good way to check to see if you need shims. I always just bolt it right up and crank it over. If it drags a slight bit use a thin shim. there are different sizes so just kinda guess as to what you think it'll need. I've been pretty lucky as on 90% of the trucks i've changed the starters on didn't need a shim at all.

The blazer i have now has 2 shims in it and it still isn't right but it's just a pain to figure out so i just run it (BTW i don't recommend that )

you don't have to take the starter all the way down to put the shims in. There should be a hole in one end of the shim and a slot in the other. Best way is to just take the bolt out that would go through the hole and the other just loosen enough to get the shim in. You can pretty much look up and see where the shim is and if it's in the right spot.

Oh and the best way to tell which post to use on the little wire is to always put it on the one closest to the block. I remember that cause it's always a pain in the arse to get to with the starter bolted up.

Good luck and hope you understood all my dribble

 

[docgab]

Looks like the wiring questions have been answered so i'll throw out a good way to check to see if you need shims. I always just bolt it right up and crank it over. If it drags a slight bit use a thin shim. there are different sizes so just kinda guess as to what you think it'll need. I've been pretty lucky as on 90% of the trucks i've changed the starters on didn't need a shim at all.

The blazer i have now has 2 shims in it and it still isn't right but it's just a pain to figure out so i just run it (BTW i don't recommend that )

you don't have to take the starter all the way down to put the shims in. There should be a hole in one end of the shim and a slot in the other. Best way is to just take the bolt out that would go through the hole and the other just loosen enough to get the shim in. You can pretty much look up and see where the shim is and if it's in the right spot.

Oh and the best way to tell which post to use on the little wire is to always put it on the one closest to the block. I remember that cause it's always a pain in the arse to get to with the starter bolted up.

Good luck and hope you understood all my dribble

Good info. Thanks for posting up. The dribble was well understood on my end.

 

[blazin_blazer]

i read in 1 of my magazines, they tested a stock hei, against a d.u.i. hei, and msd ignition, for dyno comparisons..after they tested those ...they stuck the point dizzy back in it and the dyno showed the properly setup points out performed all electronic dizzys! more headache, sure,..but for more hp/tq,..i could live with them.

 

[blazin_blazer]

just a check up...you do know a shim on 1 side pushes bendix gear deeper into flywheel/flexplate and the other side pulls it out...i'll have to ponder a min. to remember which 1 does what

from what i've been told and seen, the bendix gear(when engaged in flywheel) a 1/8'' rod should just fit from top of bendix gear and the ''valley'' between teeth on flywheel...heres a quick paint sketch maybe it'll help

just remember shims on 1 side push teeth together, shims on the other side pull teeth apart..shims on both sides pull it straight out..if bendix is engaged to much, it will act like starter is weak or batterry weak or starter drag b/c bendix teeth doesn't have the leverage on flywheels teeth,..if out to far,not enuff engagement and teeth will try to shear off...clear as mud?

btw...this is from a gm manual

 

[4X4HIGH]

Now to refresh your memory, putting a shim on the outside bolt only will rotate the bendix closer to the flywheel/flexplate and putting a shim on the inside bolt will rotate the bendix away from the flywheel/flexplate.

 

[Randy92782]

Now to refresh your memory, putting a shim on the outside bolt only will rotate the bendix closer to the flywheel/flexplate and putting a shim on the inside bolt will rotate the bendix away from the flywheel/flexplate.

How does one go about just putting a shim on the inside or outside bolt?? wouldn't that put the starter in some kind of a bind meaning it's not sitting flush against the mounting surface(block). I've heard this explanation before but have still yet to understand it.

I guess you'd have to cut down a shim to do this?? Every shim i've seen pretty much is flat and goes to both holes

 

[4X4HIGH]

You either cut the shim or just install it under one bolt and leave the rest hanging out.