# remote soleniod



## simmons68 (Dec 22, 2009)

Just added a remote soleniod to my 68 gto to fix a hot starting problem. Just drove it around and still won't start after driving for a while. Any ideas?? Here's how I wired it. Cut my battery cable into and placed the remote solenoid inbetween battery and starter. Ran short jumper from s terminal on original solenoid to battery post on original. Soleniod. Ran purple wire from fuse box directly to s terminal on new solenoid. Do I need to change something??


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## russosborne (Dec 6, 2010)

Here's a link. It doesn't sound like you have it right, but not sure from your description. 
Catalog
Look at the picture, it is pretty small, but might help.

Mark at MADElectrical does it the right way, if I remember tonight I will try to get my copy of the instructions for the kit he sells(I bought the whole new system kit plus some extra stuff) if I can't find something online right now

BTW, just to be clear, are you saying it won't crank at all? If it cranks at all this isn't the fix. 

hth,
Russ


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## russosborne (Dec 6, 2010)

Remote Starter Solenoid Instructions

here is a decent picture and write up.


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## russosborne (Dec 6, 2010)

and one more. 

Remote Starter Solenoid Installation


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

No need to run a remote solenoid if the wiring is up to par. I've never need to do it on the past 9 GTO's I've had......not picking, just saying that a lot of times, it's the "upgrade" that causes the problem. Good luck.


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## russosborne (Dec 6, 2010)

Well, I never had the issue on my 70 GTO back in the 80's until I put headers on the car. Then lots of sitting after a quick stop at a fast food place to wait for the thing to cool down enough. The car was my daily/only driver, and I had some 20 or more mile commutes often. 

Not saying some people never have the problem, but if you do an internet search you might be surprised by just how many people have the problem, and how many have solved it by doing this mod. 
Of course there are some people who refuse to do this becuase it is a Ford thing. Never been one of those types myself. 

The op did say he added this to fix an existing hot start problem. I just think he doesn't have it wired right, but until he responds who knows? :willy:

Russ


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## simmons68 (Dec 22, 2009)

*solenoid*

Wow thanks for the quick responses. I never had aproblem until I added headers. I have my batter in the trunk, so I place the remote solenoid in the trunk.I have my battery cable going through my new solenoid then to my gm soleniod. I put a short jumper from bat terminal on gm solenoid to s terminal on gm solenoid. Then purple wire from wiring harness to s terminal on new solenoid and the other wire to the hot side of the new solenoid. That is the wire that was with my battery cable on the gm solenoid, itis now on same side with batt cable on new solenoid. Clear as mud right!


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

russosborne said:


> Well, I never had the issue on my 70 GTO back in the 80's until I put headers on the car. Then lots of sitting after a quick stop at a fast food place to wait for the thing to cool down enough. The car was my daily/only driver, and I had some 20 or more mile commutes often.
> 
> Not saying some people never have the problem, but if you do an internet search you might be surprised by just how many people have the problem, and how many have solved it by doing this mod.
> Of course there are some people who refuse to do this becuase it is a Ford thing. Never been one of those types myself.
> ...


ive done a few internet searches and i can tell you there are a lot of people doing things that i wouldnt do! :willy::lol:


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## russosborne (Dec 6, 2010)

Do you have it wired the way the links I gave have it done? What size wire did you use to jumper the gm solenoid? Needs to be at least a 12 gauge from what I have read. Someone used a piece of copper tubing that they flattened and drilled holes in the end to fit the screws. The MADElectrical kit comes with a metal piece shaped to fit so you don't have to use wire. 

Also, does it totally not crank at all? If it cranks even a little bit, this fix won't fix that problem.

What size battery cable do you have running from the battery to the solenoid, and solenoid to starter? 

Russ


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## 646904GTO (Feb 10, 2008)

Often times after headers have been installed the starter gets to hot and fails, You may need to install a mini starter, just sayin'


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## simmons68 (Dec 22, 2009)

*solenoid*

The motor will turn over very slowly then just click. I used 12 gauge wire for everything except my main battery cable and that I used regular size battery cable (4 gauge) I think. Also the starter, voltage reg, and battery arr new.


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## russosborne (Dec 6, 2010)

Ok, that is a different problem. 
This is a quote from the MADElectrical catalogue on their remote solenoid page
"(2) SLOW CRANKING, a gr-r-runt, gr-r-runt. This kit won't fix it! You'll need to work with ignition timing, battery cables, the starter, and the rest of the system. "

4 gauge cables are way way way too small for a trunk mounted battery. Recommend you go up to either 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge (the 1/0 gauge is larger). Yes, they are heavy and a pain in the rear to handle, but they will not choke the electrical system like those 4 gauge ones are doing. 

Also, where are you attaching the ground cable from the battery? Personally, I run a short cable to the frame/body in the trunk, and a long one all the way to the engine block. But some think that is overkill. 

And are you running a decent sized battery? 

All your connections need to be nice and shiny when you make the connection as well. 

Really, I think the cable size is the main issue, but check all the others first, since the cables are not cheap. You might want to get a starter heat sheild as well. Can't hurt. 

HTH,
Russ


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Since the problem started when you added headers, most likely the problem is due to "something" now soaking up heat, getting too hot to work. That something could be the original solenoid, the starter, or even the wire itself. As a wire gets hotter, its resistance also increases. Add to that the remote battery that's now a long way from the starter and it's possible that it just doesn't have the ooomph to overcome the resistance in the hot cable. Not saying that's definitely it, just a possibility. Look at the whole thing as a system, figure out what's getting hot (what's closest to the header?), see if you can't figure out a way to protect those items from the heat, and see what happens.

Bear


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

A local auto parts store may be able to rent you a battery load tester. Load test the battery in the trunk for 10 seconds and record your results. Then connect it to the positive battery cable at the starter and then neg to the block. Load test again for 10 secs and see if you have any difference between the two readings. The readings should be virtually the same.


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## simmons68 (Dec 22, 2009)

*solenoid*

Thanks for the tips. My battery is 880 cca. My timing is 12 advanced. My driverside header actually touches the starter sidewall. Before I put on the remote soleniod it would just click when I turned it over, now it will turn over and grunt slowly.


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## simmons68 (Dec 22, 2009)

What about a ministarter?


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## simmons68 (Dec 22, 2009)

*solenoid*

What about a ministarter??


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## Willshire (Jul 14, 2011)

simmons68 said:


> What about a ministarter?


The battery cable is too small. The only reason that the batt cable is 4 guage is because it is the length. Increase the length to the battery, increase the cable size the starter is the reason for the large cable you could run everything else on a 10 awg. Resistance per foot decreases with cable size. Dress the cables closer to the engine block as it is cooler. Run a small chunk of #1 guage from batt to frame and another short piece from the frame to the engine block. Mini starter is a great idea. More torque, less or equal current draw than stock. My .02


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

simmons68 said:


> My driverside header actually touches the starter sidewall.


That's probably a major part of the cause, if not the whole cause. Also good advice on running larger cable with the remote battery.

I'm running a RobbMC starter and love it. Another nice feature it has is that it can be "clocked" so that the solenoid is rotated down and far away from the header.

Bear


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## simmons68 (Dec 22, 2009)

So I need to run 1 gauge to the starter and the ground. I could almost buy a mini starter for that cost. Would that be a better investment sinse the header still hits the starter??


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Hard to say ---- it's your car and your cash  If it were me, I'd probably do both - fat cable and a good starter.

Bear


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