[Mgs] Replacing the solenoid on a '77

[Paul Hunt]

The number of ring connectors on the solenoid stud shouldn't be an issue, if 
the nut is going to jam it will do so with only the battery cable on it, or 
the battery cable plus the three (usually) brown wires.  I'm surprised it 
*has* jammed, it is a copper (or coppered) stud, maybe it was a ham-fisted 
PO.  I appreciate it is easier to chop through the wires but if you are 
going to replace the solenoid anyway then it would be better to cut/grind 
the nut and stud off and leave the wires as they are, rather than risk 
problems with short wires and/or iffy connectors with the reterminations. 
Making up a junction box would solve any length problems, but you would have 
to be sure it wasn't going to short out on any metalwork in the vicinity, 
and adding connections in the brown circuit is rarely a good idea.

The dust cover fits over the hole in the back-plate, nothing to do with 
shielding the solenoid.  If the solenoid is full of oil from the filter then 
it is the filter that is the problem, not the solenoid or lack of shield.

I quite agree with loosening the top bolt *almost* to the point of removal 
before removing the bottom, then removing the top.  However this does need 
two of you - one to support and remove the starter from underneath while the 
other removes the top bolt.  Single-handedly I think you have no choice but 
to do it the other way round, unless you can support the starter from 
underneath while you are working above.

PaulH.

----- Original Message ----- 
> Last night I removed the starter from my '77, but had to leave the 
> solenoid
> dangling from the wires because all of the brown wires were stacked up on
> the live terminal with ring connectors and I couldn't get the nut off.