starter purple wire

[0-60n4]

I am about to replace my factory starter with the mini starter. Thanks for the previous tips and help.

I notice my factory starter has three wires going to the large bolt and none going to the small bolt where the purple wire should go. And I don't have a purple wire. I think the wiring has been changed in the past.

Not sure how the starter even works now but it does. An ideas?

Where would the purple wire come from? I will try to back track to see which one it is.

What would the other wire be from?

 

[RmvBfrFlght]

Is there an external starter solenoid? And instead of a wire on the S terminal, is there a flat metal jumper from the main terminal to the S terminal?

The purple start wire originates inside of the car and passes through the firewall at the main C100 bulkhead connector.

http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Remote_Ford_solenoid_for_GM-_no_hot_start

RemoveBeforeFlight

 

[0-60n4]

I figured it out. The wire had been changed to a different color and was on the small lug on the back side that I could not see.

New starter installed works great.

thanks.

 

[0-60n4]

Now that the job is done, I can share my experience. I read a lot of posts about trying to figure out the wiring diagram for the mini starter. It really should come with instructions and a wiring diagram. All the wires from the larger lug on the factory starter go on the large lug on the mini starter that has NO wires already on it. The wire with the small terminal, that should be purple, goes on the small lug on the back side of the mini starter closest to the engine block. I did not need any shims. I have after market headers and crossover pipe so I did have to loosen the flanges on the crossover pipe enough to drop it so I could get a socket wrench on the long mounting bolt on the old starter. No big deal.

One problem I had which made removal of the factory starter take 2 hours with a four post lift, was the wire that was supposed to purple was brown. I guess someone changed it out in the past. And when they did, they stripped the treads by over tightening the little nut. Their fix was to install a second nut behind the first one and tighten it down. That worked for them. But removing the first nut for me was a royal pain. I was able to reach behind the starter and get the second nut off. but the first one wold just spin and not come off. That was the last wire to remove and it was too short to let the starter drop down so I could get my hands on it. I had a hydraulic jack under the starter and finally rotated the starter so I could get a Dremel tool with a cut off wheel up there and cut the nut off the lug. If I had not had the car on a lift, I don't think I could have done it. Whew! Finally got it.

Installing the mini starter was a breeze after that. Very nice improvement.

Total time 3 hours including lunch 20 minute break. If not for the problems with the little bitch wire ( that is what I named it) it's probably a 1 hour job if you have a lift. I would really hate to attempt it without a lift.