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Re: Testing starter engine

To: Enrique Claure <spaninc@ceibo.entelnet.bo>
Subject: Re: Testing starter engine
From: Rocky Frisco <rock@rocky-frisco.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 03:40:56 -0500
Enrique Claure wrote:
> 
> Hi list, haynes recommends installing the starter Motor before putting in
> the engine. I decided to test it before installing but could not get the
> motor to rotate? On the selenoid there are two big copper screws and two
> spade connectors. The large spade is (with my tester)continous with one of
> the copper screws the other screw and spade are not. How must I connect my
> battery to the starter?  Thould the starter spin? or do you get a clunck of
> the selenoid arm? Help! Enrique

Enrique, I don't know all the different kinds of MGs too well, but I do
know cars and starters pretty well. If your solenoid is mounted like a
beer-can, on the side of the starter, one of the big copper connections
goes right inside the starter; that's the one that turns the starter.
The battery cable should be connected to the *other one*; you don't want
your starter turning all the time.

All this is also true of the Lucas solenoids that mount on the firewall
instead of the starter, except that those starters utilize the bendix
drive alone to engage the drive gear with the flywheel ring gear,
whereas many setups with the solenoids on the starter actually wait
until the solenoid whacks the drive into engagement before spinning the
motor. Both work well.

The small spade connector on the solenoid, in either case, is the one
that's actuated by the starter switch sector on the ignition switch. It
moves the starter drive gear into engagement with the flywheel and then
connects the two big copper connectors on the solenoid so that the motor
spins and starts the engin, or as mentioned, if it's nor mounted on the
starter, it just connects the two big terminals so that the starter
spins, causing the bendix-drive to engage the ring-gear.

If you connect the minus terminal of the battery to the case of the
starter, the positive terminal to the big connector that's not going
into the starter and then short across from that last terminal to the
small spade connector, the starter should spin and whack the bendix-gear
out toward the end of the starter shaft. if you don't hold it really
firmly, it might jump out of your hands and land on your foot, so be
careful.

-Rock
-- 
Rocky, JJ Cale Band & Pratchett Books: http://www.rocky-frisco.com
Rocky's Mini Cooper Page: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/6437/
Mini Books:  http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/6437/rockboox.html

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