are you using a point ignition system? or electronic? if electronic, what type? If it's a point system, the easiest thing to do is just remove the wire that would connect to the R terminal, and have the ignition switch provide power through the ballast resistor to the coil, whenever the key is on. If it's having trouble starting because of weak spark, then you could either use an ignition switch with a separate ignition terminal for cranking and running (such as 55-56 Chevy used), or you could wire a separate relay to provide direct 12v to the coil while cranking. if it's electronic ignition, it probably does not need the R terminal wire anyways.
Mine is the same.Center lug,and lug to the left.The left lug on mine runs down to the barrel of the starter.Battery cable goes to the large center one.To get power up to a point system distributor you use a inline diode.Its a one way electrical valve.Attach the diode to the wire that runs up to the distributor.The other end fits on the lug on the left.Now you have power to the ignition that doesnt back feed because of the one way only diode.Speedway sells these,and im sure Summit, Jegs.
The easiest way to do it ,,, using all wires,,, Getting benefit of mini starter,,, is use a Ford solenoid in the mix. People will argue this but some ignition switches just do not provide power to the coil in crank position. also make sure you use the correct bolts for that starter. They are special
most ignition switches provide power to the ignition circuit, while cranking. The R terminal on the GM starters from 1957-74 was used to bypass the ballast resistor, while starting. Are you sure you need the wire? I'd double check that you need it, first.
What squirrel said. Unless for some odd reason your ignition switch doesn't supply 12v to the coil while cranking, you don't need the R wire.
Can you use an ohm meter on the ignition switch terminals? You need to understand what your switch is doing while cranking and also in the run position. If not, we will need the source/origin of the switch and a photo of the switch terminals.
Got a better look at my set up.My car is still in winter storage so its harder to look at room wise.looking at my Powermaster starter head on theres two large studs.One has a cable running to the barrel of the starter.The other is the battery connection.Theres a small tab with one wire running to it.My in line diode runs from the stud with the cable going into the barrel up to the positive side of the coil.Looks like the wire from the small tab runs to the ignition switch. Two others run to the large stud with the battery cable. Im running a chevy point ignition .Hope this is of some help.
It's not really a problem, though. The reason they don't make mini starters with the R terminal, is that it's not really needed. Almost everyone who uses a mini starter also uses electronic ignition that does not need a resistor bypass circuit.
Try it with the yellow wire disconnected. If it starts and runs, then either remove the yellow wire, or tape up the end of it and leave it there. The real reason that mini starters don't have the extra terminal, is that they are based on starters that were made for other cars, after ignition points were no longer used. And there is a very limited market for a mini starter with the extra terminal.
If you told us exactly what parts your car has, and exactly how your car is wired, then we could probably offer you more useful advice. We still don't know what kind of ignition switch it has, how the ballast resistor (if it has one) is connected, etc. So really, why do you expect us to be able to tell you exactly what you should do, if you can't even tell us exactly what you are working on?
I haven't done it, so you may want to disregard my post. Using a simple relay would allow you to do what you want.
I’m almost sure when I put a regular switch in my ‘42 Ford, I ran from the key to the solenoid, then to the coil from the start of the key. Then ran from run off the key to the ballast resistor. Be the same, wouldn’t it?
find a wire on the ignition switch that provides power when the key is in both the RUN and START positions. Then connect this wire to the ballast resistor. Connect the other side of the ballast resistor to the coil + terminal. drive your car.
Also check to see if one of the ignition switch wires gives you a negative when the key is on the start position.. Check that by putting one side of the meter on a positive lead and search for the positive..
The wire at this terminal on your ignition switch provides 12v in the start and ignition positions. Should be a pink wire if still using factory color codes. Attach your coil wire to this position. If you're using the vega harness with the firewall bulkhead connectors, follow the resistor wire back to the connector, remove it and replace with a regular wire, attach to coil. If you're using the proper coil with your pertronix you do not need the yellow wire.
It seems that you need an explanation of why there are two (+) wires to the coil. The ignition switch supplies 12v to a resistor in both “run” and “crank” positions of the switch. The resistor knocks the voltage down a few volts to match the actual required voltage that the coil is designed to operate at its peak efficiency without overheating. During cranking, the starter draws enough current to drop the voltage throughout the entire wiring of the car. This means less voltage delivered to the ignition switch, resistor, and in turn, the coil. With less voltage at the coil, you have a weak spark. You don’t want a weak spark during starting. The manufacturers designed the starters to bypass the resister while the starter is engaged. What happens inside of the starter is: Battery (main big lug) power is momentarily contacted to the bypass wire, supplying the coil with “non resisted” system voltage. Because this is only momentary, AND there is a starter induced voltage drop, the coil is not harmed or overheated. If this resistor bypass circuit wasn’t there at all or simply broken, the car should still start.(although it may be more finicky) because the ignition switch is still supplying power to the resisted circuit. As mentioned, the mini starters available are not actually mini starters. They are standard starters out of modern vehicles that are marketed as mini starters to hobbyists. You can achieve the same goal with very simple wiring, making the need for adding that terminal to a modern starter mute, for all but a small number of people. Depending on your new starter, you can either wire the “bypass”wire to the starter MOTOR lug (not the starter solenoid lug) with a diode to prevent backfeeding the starter, or you can add a remote relay to duplicate the circuit that the starter doesn’t have. Either solution is just fine, and there are many ways to achieve the same end result.
The yellow wire,,, R or I terminal on starter, That’s the one you’re questioning yeah??? In stock configuration on a GM - It goes from the R terminal to the coil + . That’s it. leave yellow wire alone and disconnected on both ends or pull it out if using electronic ignition. Sorry if you mentioned it but I didn’t see what wiring harness you are using,, be aware of the GM resistance wire.
We don't know what wiring he has in the car...we do know it has a GM column mounted ignition switch from the early 70s. We also know that he won't just try to get the car running, he wants to wire it perfectly, without understanding how it works.
I went through the same thing with family member. All youngsters want to play Hot Rod but not put in the effort. They are information “Thieves “. They piss and moan and keep prodding at you until you’ve had enough of them being to damn SMART to find the answer their own damn self—- you blurt out the answer to get them of your back. Then they march around after the problem is solved and brag about how they fixed it. MIND BOGGLING!!! To this day he doesn’t understand how the “ R “ works and he never will !! Then I had to listen to speech from his brother on “ How POINTS SUCK and HEI is Better “. Turns out he was running around without a ballistic resistor, frying his points. I damn near bit through my lip not wanting to blurt out another answer to their problems. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I suspect that the problem here is if he's using the Vega harness also (in what we don't know, OT?), the original resistance wire spliced into the yellow wire from the starter somewhere in the harness and the only wire on coil is the yellow wire.
OP asked a simple question- He also provides his location status. Does he have a wiring harness ? Don’t matter Does he have a schematic? Apparently not but if someone can find the hamb, manage to join, and even figure out how to post a question on the message board, yet not find a starter circuit diagram- it’s not gonna matter what you explained. Does he even need the wire ??? Not your problem, Does he have an ignition switch? Don’t matter Pry out the relevant info and then explain the theory and apply the relevant aspects of said theory into the relevant info extracted,,,,Couple thousand books have been published already,,,, one could author another personalized version here but likely to remain unread as the other books.
Don't let people like this speak for all of us young guys. With that said, I just wanted to add this for others that might be searching and come across this thread: Early GM ignition switches DO NOT provide any voltage to the coil (or ballast) when the key is in the start position. In stock configuration the cool wire should be hooked up to its own independent terminal on the switch, and this terminal has power only in the run position. Because of this the "R" terminal on the stock starter is not just a resistor bypass; it is the only source of power to the coil whole the starter is engaged. I'm not sure when exactly this changed, but I believe 1968 or so. If you are using an early style switch you will absolutely need to wire in a diode or a relay, else you will end up with a condition where the engine won't actually fire until the key is released after cranking. If your engine tuned well enough you might not notice, but even if it is well tuned and you have an early switch wired without the "R" terminal hooked up, I encourage you to run a little experiment by turning your key to start and holding it there for longer than normal. You will likely notice that your engine continues to crank without firing until you let off the key.
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