----- Original Message -----
From: Enrique Claure <spanlab@ceibo.entelnet.bo>
To: <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2000 5:38 AM
Subject: No starter no vroom
> Hi list,
>
> I still can't get my starter to turn. I checked voltage at the small white
> green and when I turn the key the voltage goes up to 7.5Volts? is this
> correct? I thought all voltage is supposed to be 12V?
White/green or white/light-green? White/green is to power the accessories
and it's only connection with starting is that 12v is *removed* from it
during cranking. The cranking circuit is ignition switch - white/red -
starter relay - white/brown - solenoid. White/light-green is used to
provide a boost voltage from the solenoid to the coil during cranking on 6v
coil and external ballast systems. Seeing 7.5v on that wire tells me two
things - one that it is not connected to the coil at the other end and so
isn't providing the boost voltage, two that the supply voltage is way down
when you try to crank.
With very few exceptions (like the coil on a 6v externally ballasted system)
you should see 12v when a circuit is powered. Less than that indicates
either bad connections or bad battery or both. Check the voltage at the
battery posts while you turn the key to start to check the battery, and on
the solenoid and an engine bolt (ground) to check the heavy current circuit
> They starter relay clicks so I guess that works.
Could still be wired incorrectly, though. The white/red should be connected
to terminal W1 if you have the OE Lucas relay or 86 on an aftermarket relay.
Black (ground) should be connected to W2 or 85 to complete the relay operate
circuit. Brown (hot unfused) is fed to the relay contacts on C1 or 30, and
brown/white feeds 12v onto the solenoid from C2 or 87.
> I got under the car and wired the starter directly by joining the brown +
> cables to the negative bolt. The solenoid clicked so that works.
What negative bolt is this? There could be one or two 'electrical' bolts on
the solenoid - one carries the heavy current cable which is bringing 12v
direct from the battery. The other, if there is another, feeds 12v on the
starter when the solenoid is operated. On North American cars the main
browns should be connected to the first bolt anyway. The solenoid should
only click if you connect the browns or heavy current cable to the spade
terminal that carries the white/brown. And once the solenoid clicked the
starter should have spun, or tried to spin, if you have all cables
connected. 'Negative' implies ground, but there is no ground connection as
such to the starter, however there should be a ground strap from a chassis
rail to either the LHS engine mount or to the transmission. If this strap is
missing it probably will affect cranking.
> I tested the darn starter before I installed it and I would hate to remove
> it after so much work.
>
> For on board testing should I join the small and large spades and put
> battery positive to the brown cables and negative to the starter body? (I
> forgot how I tested out board)
If the starter is mounted on the engine and all connections and cables are
in their normal places the starter gets its ground through where it is
bolted up to the engine. The small spade usually carries a
white/light-green which is used to boost the coil voltage to 12v during
cranking on systems with a 6v coil and external ballast. The larger spade
should carry the white/brown from the relay. There should already be full
battery voltage on the thick cable and the browns i.e. they are always hot.
To eliminate ignition switch, relay and their associated wiring you would
normally the bolt carrying the browns and the thick cable to the large
spade.
> thanks for any suggestions, Enrique
>
>
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