Spitfire setting up starter solenoid 79 Spit

[Dudly]

Hi all, it's been a while. I was wondering if anyone had any good advice or pic's of how to properly set up my solenoid. I have repainted the bulkhead and it all looks very spanky, I would hate to ruin all that hard with a fire if I don't have it worked out right. I down loaded a nice schematic from the spitfireGT6 online mag, it was helpful used in conjunction with the one in the Haynes manual.

Any advice would be appreciated

 

[guzzul]

I have just finished cleaning up the scuttle on my '78 and replacing the start solenoid in the process. Attached is a 'before' picture of the solenoid, facing it from the left-hand side of the scuttle. A little blurry but hopefully you can make everything out.

The top threaded post holds the red positive battery terminal wire, which has a ring terminal. Mounted with it is a heavy brown (alternator) wire, also with a ring terminal.

In addition, the upper threaded post holds a thick horizontal male spade connector, with terminals extending on each side of the solenoid. There was nothing on the LH terminal side. On the RH side of the solenoid another thick brown alternator wire was attached via a push-on connector.

In the middle of the solenoid there are two smaller male spade connectors, one on each side. The RH spade connector attaches to the push-on white/yellow wire that goes to the + side of the coil. Common'd with that is the white/pink ignition ballast wire. (There may be a different setup for the ballast on a '79, not sure.) The middle LH spade terminal attaches to a push-on for the white/red and white/orange wires.

The threaded post on the bottom of the solenoid is for the heavy black wire that goes to the starter motor.

Just FYI, when I installed the new replacement solenoid, I found the middle RH spade connector on the solenoid was too small to fit the white/yellow-white/pink push-on. Why they make it that small is beyond me. So I wound up making a short jumper wire with a small female on one end that plugged onto the solenoid and a wider male connector on the other end that fit the original ignition wire push-on.

Hope it helps.

 

[Dudly]

Thanks guzzul, I think I'm all set. Mine looks pretty much the same. Tonight I'll drop the battery in and see what happens. Only strange thing is that at the end of my wiring loom there is a black and blue wire with a female spade end. Per the schematic it's to the Driver side seat switch. Since the leads at the seat have never been attached I'm thinking it's not vital.

 

[guzzul]

... Only strange thing is that at the end of my wiring loom there is a black and blue wire with a female spade end. Per the schematic it's to the Driver side seat switch. Since the leads at the seat have never been attached I'm thinking it's not vital.

You've discovered the 'mystery wire'. Actually, in the '76 wiring diagram you will notice that wire is meant to go to a 'bulb check relay', and in '75 it went to the Smith's Module. I believe the original purpose of that wire was to sense weight on the driver's seat and to force you to fasten the driver's seat belt before you could actually start the car. It was code-driven at the time I think.

Later years dropped this arrangement in favor of a seat belt warning buzzer. Later model years used the same wire loom for that part of the car, and the blue/black wire was simply not needed. In mine the terminal connector is snipped off and I have just taped it back against the outside of the loom.

 

[Dudly]

Success!!! She has returned from her month long slumber. Left coil lead off the distributor for the first couple cranks, just to get the oil flowing. After that a couple more cranks with coil attached she started.

Thanks to everyone who was so gracious with their advice. The bulkhead looks great in the Cleveland Browns / Vermillion Red. Only a couple scratches while re-attaching the various bits.

I am just a break and clutch bleed away from a chilly fall drive.

Long Live the BCF!!!

P.S. I would gladly pay a subscription fee for this most excellent site.

 

[DeltaAir423]

Thanks to everyone who was so gracious with their advice. The bulkhead looks great in the <span style="font-weight: bold">Cleveland Browns </span>/ Vermillion Red. Only a couple scratches while re-attaching the various bits.

Dirty words, Dirty words!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[myspitfire]

Now;How many know what the wiring hookup is for the RED-BUTTON
SELENOID.This one has a remote start button to use while doing maintience work under the bonnet.Very handy adjusting valves and other stuff.This little unknown item was standard on the early Spits.I bought a NOS stock red-button on Ebay awhile back & boy is it handy.Its a Spitfire trivial pursuit question.
Ken

 

[Dudly]

I want one, I want one!!! Hmmm... I wonder if Santa would know what that is? I'll have to ask my wife, she knows him personally.


Cleveland Browns Orange was the deal maker for me, well.. that and only a couple spots of rust. My best friend (a season ticket holder for the dreaded Steelers) won't be seen in it. (Incidentally he drives a 1984 Trans-Am with T tops. Fun Car too, BLACK of course).

 

[foxtrapper]

There was a guy here who had a show quality firewall on his Spitfire. the previous owner had very carefully custom bent and trimmed every wire to fit perfectly and precisely. It looked really beautiful. It was the 90 degree bends on the big battery wires and starter cables that looked most impressive.

Costs nothing, takes some time, and looks really outstanding.

 

[DeltaAir423]

I want one, I want one!!! Hmmm... I wonder if Santa would know what that is? I'll have to ask my wife, she knows him personally.


Cleveland Browns Orange was the deal maker for me, well.. that and only a couple spots of rust. My best friend (a season ticket holder for the dreaded Steelers) won't be seen in it. (Incidentally he drives a 1984 Trans-Am with T tops. Fun Car too, BLACK of course).

Well I could care less about the car color when it comes to purchasing, but to use Cleveland Browns Orange for Vermillion Red is almost criminal.


BTW, I'm a Steelers fan (growing up in Akron was hard), and my Spitfire is Vermillion Red. []

 

[Dudly]

It appears to be equal part Cleve/Pitt fans here in Y-town. It's a fun rivalry, sometimes the split is intrafamily. Generally Steeler fans I know are proud, confident and sometimes cocky, while us Browns fans are usually morbid, uneasy and fatalistic. (most of my closest friends are Steeler fans). Browns / Steeler parties are part of the reason I'm generally known as an easy going guy.

While my bulkhead is miles away from show quality, I think it passes. It was a bit of a shame however when I was re-attaching all the grimy, dull bits. I did try and clean them up a bit. Overall I am very satisfied with the results. Cant wait to get back on the road. Fingers crossed for this weekend.

 

[myspitfire]

Foxtrapper i'm surprised at you not knowing of such a thing!
As the red-button selenoid.With your experience fill us in.Some others here are
curious too.

Ken&Whitelightning