Jump to content
  • When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

S14 Starter wiring


ash00

Recommended Posts

Hey gang,

Can anybody point me to where what the wiring is on the S14 starter? One should be from the ignition, and one should be from the battery (+). What about this third one? Which one is which? (I think #2 is the battery one for sure)

Thanks!! one step closer....

post-401-136676090377_thumb.jpg

Aashish

1969 BMW 2002--I gotta finish this damn thing

1987 BMW 325is--S52 Monster

1975 Innocenti Mini 1001-- the most cost dense car ever!

1995 318ti

2004 BMW 330i ZHP

2004 Toyota Tacoma (gotta have something reliable!)--can't live without

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool thanks Dan for the heads up.

So #2 will be battery (+), and #3 will be from the ignition.

Did you put a ground to #1, or leave it? I assume the casing and everything is already grounded so there is no need.

Aashish

1969 BMW 2002--I gotta finish this damn thing

1987 BMW 325is--S52 Monster

1975 Innocenti Mini 1001-- the most cost dense car ever!

1995 318ti

2004 BMW 330i ZHP

2004 Toyota Tacoma (gotta have something reliable!)--can't live without

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't even think about grounding terminal #1. #1 is not grounded, but is connected to the solenoid output (starter input) terminal. You can see the connection (strap) in the picture.

If you ground #1, you will short the battery to ground when you try to start the engine. #1 can be used to bypass the external ignition coil resistor if your car uses one.

#2 obviously goes to the battery. #3 goes to the starter switch, not the ignition, to be precise.

No amount of skill or education will ever replace dumb luck
1971 2002 (much modified rocket),  1987 635CSI (beauty),  

2000 323i,  1996 Silverado Pickup (very useful)

Too many cars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It may have 12V on it while the starter is cranking, but terminal # 1 measures 1 ohm to ground when the starter is not starting, if you connect it to the coil bypass resistor, it will ground that resistor (just a piece of wire to the coil's + terminal) as soon as the car starts, that is what I meant when I found out the hard way. I had 12 V from the coil feeding back to that terminal & it tried to melt the wire, but I disconnected it within seconds, saving the wire. I have an XR700 on my car, so it didn't really need that connection anyway. On a stock 02 starter, that top terminal does not have that 1 ohm to ground when starter is not starting. I did not mean to imply that terminal # 1 was to be grounded, just that it is a path to ground when the starter is not starting.

2002 owner since 1980

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It may have 12V on it while the starter is cranking, but terminal # 1 measures 1 ohm to ground when the starter is not starting, if you connect it to the coil bypass resistor, it will ground that resistor (just a piece of wire to the coil's + terminal) as soon as the car starts, that is what I meant when I found out the hard way. I had 12 V from the coil feeding back to that terminal & it tried to melt the wire, but I disconnected it within seconds, saving the wire. I have an XR700 on my car, so it didn't really need that connection anyway. On a stock 02 starter, that top terminal does not have that 1 ohm to ground when starter is not starting. I did not mean to imply that terminal # 1 was to be grounded, just that it is a path to ground when the starter is not starting.
You are absolutely correct about using that terminal directly to bypass the coil resistor. On my car (a 71) the wire on #1 terminal goes to the resistor bypass relay on the firewall next to the distributor. The relay prevents the coil positive terminal from getting grounded when the starter is not energized.

No amount of skill or education will ever replace dumb luck
1971 2002 (much modified rocket),  1987 635CSI (beauty),  

2000 323i,  1996 Silverado Pickup (very useful)

Too many cars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Upcoming Events

  • Supporting Vendors

×
×
  • Create New...