How To Wire Up the Starter and Ignition On Any Classic Engine

This video goes over the basics of wiring on pre-computer engines.
Ignition switch:
amzn.to/3KoHUUm
Solenoid:
amzn.to/3Cx7ULo
Resistor:
amzn.to/3TfJsUq

[@libertyauto]

Thanks. The extra voltage to coil during cranking trick is new to me.

[@hollowdonte]

Thank you I'm rewiring a 64 dynamic 88 and this helped a lot it's my first time doing something like this so seeing someone explain it simply like you did helps.

[@tomcrawshaw6115]

Great video. Like a previous commenter, I'm also rewiring an 88 - mine's a 1950 futuramic model. This video has helped explain the reason why it's always been so hard to start.

[@parkerazz4385]

Fantastic information! Will be using this to wire up my 74 dodge 440 in my RV. Subscribed

[@jimmywilson1388]

Man that’s so cool. I can’t stand jumbled up wires running everywhere. I hope I can learn how to do this. I just recently bought an old Ford F100 and I want to get the wiring fixed and working properly. Thanks for the advice.

[@eliaspischi8119]

Im gonna wire my fiat 850 like that. I had the same problem you explained, while craking nothing as soon as i stop, it tries to start. Thanks man, this is priceless for me!

[@cncsandingtools]

That Extra Voltage to my very old Champ Forklift was just the extra boost it needed to fix the hard start issue Thanks

[@robertjohnson7728]

The good old days of wiring. How simple compared to today's mess.

[@AustinCoulson]

I kinda forgot how simple it was until I made this video

[@johnbaxter85]

Great video, confused as to where wires hook up on switch => solenoid.

[@rongibson6281]

Very interesting. I was surprised the voltage through the resister was not lower than that. I thought they were supposed to be around 8 to 11 volts. Explained very well. Thanks

[@AustinCoulson]

I was expecting more of a drop as well. I think I am used to testing older systems that usually aren't running great instead of all new parts.

[@bandcshow11d6]

@@AustinCoulson normally the resister from blaster coils are to be used with factory resisters. The ones from the blaster coils just drop it a little bit

[@JuanHernandez-ub3ez]

just learned more than i came for 😮

[@extrajay4868]

I'm dealing with this whole issue myself at the moment. The starter I used doesn't have a separate connector for coil power like the stock starter did. It only starts if I bypass the resister, which I also had to get because the original resisted wire is gone it seems. (73 nova) I might rig up a relay controlled by starter solenoid power to supply full power to the coil, but for now plan to hook up a momentary pushbutton to hold while cranking.

[@Don-uz9om]

Great video What schematic drawer software do you use on your PC?

[@jimprouty6793]

I tried to respond to your message, I couldn't get thru - so I have a few other questions - I understand the connections for positions are 3 - ignition coil, 6 - starter solenoid, 7 - ground, and 8 - fused power. Would you still put in the resistor in line with the ignition coil? Also what size of fuse would you recommend for the fused power? Sorry for so many questions, but I have one more, that is the wire to the alternator that you talked about in your video, how does that work in your schematic ?

[@filmart430]

The starter solenoid you wired things too, would it be the same for the solenoid attached to the starter itself?

[@davidc4996]

THANKS FOR VIDEO

[@richardhill4862]

I like that, thanks!

[@nursecuenca]

Learned alot watching your video. I have a 1965 chevy truck that when driving it completely shuts off and it restarts without a problem. I noticed on ignition switch the piggyback terminal to the battery and to radiator fan. That wire looks very comprised like its overheated and cracked. I'm new to cars and have learned so much from videos like yours. Could you please offer me some suggestions. I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks

[@sevennumberss]

Between the battery and the ignition switch/key, how do I find out what size fuse to use? Great video btw.

[@Chuncy566]

On a Chevy impala v8, if i disconnect the plug going to the distributor & hook a light from "batt on cable & other probe on ground when i turn on ignition switch should I get a light? Also parts stores be able to test ignition module? And could i go to a ford module mounted on the fender or firewall & how would i wire it up to work, tired of geting stranded by those GM modules,no warning like points just stop dead .

[@jimprouty6793]

Great video, it helped me out alot. I do have one question. Im redoing my 1976 Chris Craft boat with twin 350's and want to use a (start)-run-stop toggle switch. it's a VMDJ-G66B from New Wire Marine. I cant get it in my head which wires go where. Any suggestions?

[@AustinCoulson]

It depends if you are running separate positive leads for ignition and start. I would run the same fused positive wire, so I would leave the 2-5 jumper in place (that is the metal piece that comes installed on the middle two terminals) Then hook up your ignition coil to the #3 terminal and your starter solenoid to the #6 terminal. It looks like You have two lights on the switch, one that comes on when the ignition is on, and one that is on always indicating the switch has power. If you are running a battery cutoff switch then you can hook up the # 8 terminal to a fuse power source and the #7 to a ground. If the switch doesn't have a battery cutoff and always has power, then you wouldn't hook up anything to #8, but you would still hook up #7 for a ground and that will light up the ignition indicator.

[@mikegellner2253]

Classic vehicles break down a lot !!! Maybe yours do but most don't !!!!!

[@AustinCoulson]

Oh yea, classic vehicles have a long history of being super reliable.

[@philkuusisto1558]

Does the wire from the resistor hook up to the + or - side of the coil?

[@2strokefather863]

This is great I’m building a drag car an will use this exact set up. I don’t get wat the solinoid is for? Dosnt my starter already have one?

[@AustinCoulson]

Most modern starters have solenoids attached, but this has an old school starter with a remote mount solenoid. The wiring is the same either way

[@mannyclemente7159]

Hey man will this work no matter how a car is currently wired? I can skip all the bs do what you did and will work? What about ignition control module or ignition regulator?

[@PatrickDwyer-iu5yx]

I’m wiring a 1966 wooden boat with a Graymarine inline 6 and it’s a mess. Would this wiring diagram work for it? Right now I’ve got it started, but the key switch won’t shut the motor off. I have to choke off the carb to shut it down.

[@paulevans9019]

Awesome! You want to come hang out some time, maybe work on an old Scout?😂

[@MichaelKearsey]

Hi Austin, Do you need a diode between the starter (sometimes referred to as "R") connection and the coil? Great video's by the way. Co-incidentally, I'm wiring up the ignition of a Hyster P50A. So, I believe that where the coil connection is made to the starter, being directly to the windings of the starter motor, current can flow both from the starter to the coil, but can also flow back from the coil to the starter. We only want current in one direction, from the starter to the coil. We don't want a current from the ignition, through the ballast resistor to the coil, and then off powering the starter winding. That will happen without a diode. I see varying suggestions for that diode. Some 3 amp, 400V. Others 10 amp 250V. The voltage here refers to the reverse voltage with may be applied to the diode. The voltages nominated are quite high because of reverse spikes which can occur from the coil. It may be that some older starter motors had another set of contacts for the "R" connection. I don't know. I'm seeing in my one that "R" and the winding of the starter motor itself are connected.... Having said all this, I've just wired mine up exactly as you did. Having thought about it, then searched further on the net, I've concluded that I need the diode.

[@AustinCoulson]

I've never heard of anyone installing a diode on the starting system. The solenoid itself prevents current from flowing from the coil back to the starter

[@modestofurniture4021]

Can you tell me what 3 wires and where they hook up to on solenoid

[@joseleal2993]

What type of wiring do you recommend if it gets too hot on my truck it won’t start till given a jump I replaced the alternator And battery And solenoid started

[@AustinCoulson]

That sounds more like the ignition coil or points to me. jumping would push through just a bit more current to get it going. I would start by using an inline spark plug tester to see if the plugs are firing when it's hot. You can reply back here and I should see it.

[@tuckerstadeli2659]

When you hookup the coil to the starter side of the solenoid, would that not also supply power to the starter whenever the key is on??

[@AustinCoulson]

The coil is hooked up to the "I" terminal on the solenoid as well as the "I" on the switch so it gets power while starting and also while the ignition switch is on. The starter solenoid is activated by the "S" terminal

[@elementalearth5096]

If my coil has an internal resistor, I should not be using an external resistor like in your diagram, right?

[@markymarc37]

I have an old russian tractor. MTZ82, it uses a 24 volt starter, 12volt alternator, 12 volt accessories, a series parallel switch. I have constant problems with switch. I found a alternator that claims to have 12 volt post and 24 volt post. I want to rewire tractor to have 24 volt battery(2x12series) charge with 24 volt post, use the 12 volt post to run accessories. Can this work? What do I need to check for?

[@palmerkarr]

When will you be doing the video showing how the gauges work? I recently bought a case 1845 skid steer and the wiring has unconnected wires everywhere. I’m gonna take everything out and use the diagram you provided to rewire everything. With this machine you turn the key then push a different button to start the engine then turn the key off to stop the engine. Will the wiring be the same as in your setup?

[@AustinCoulson]

The wiring is almost the same, you just have one switch for the ignition and one for the start, so you have to split the power input into both and then hook up the ignition and start individually. I ended up scraping the plan to add gauges to the forklift for a video because I blew the clutch and a head gasket on it, so I and doing a full restoration and changing it to a hydraulic drive. I would like to do a video showing how to wire up an entire classic vehicle, but that will be down the road a bit.

[@palmerkarr]

@@AustinCoulson thanks so much for getting back to me. I will give it a shot.

[@yokechan2765]

great

[@benkebus9050]

Hade been nice with a more detaild wiring diagram!

[@TexHasselhoff]

👍

[@Pocodetodorisa]

i buy and 1978 step van how will you run harness to it it have a module and i dont know waht cables used to go to it !! ( ingnition module) i buy old it loook like somebody cut harness or probably rats eat them please help

[@user-yo7dr2xt7b]

So I have a 73 Lincoln continental, and for some reason when I turn the key it keeps the starter cranking even when I remove the key. Any thoughts?

[@AustinCoulson]

Usually when I see this it is a failed solenoid or a failed ignition switch.

[@jaimebravo1962]

I have a problem with a wood chipper. It has a ford 2.5l lrg (ranger motor) the ignition control module is bad and no aftermarket or oem. Its a distribuless ignition system... Any ideas ?

[@AustinCoulson]

What year is the motor?

[@jaimebravo1962]

@@AustinCoulson it's a year 2000. Ford LRG 2.5l

[@jaimebravo1962]

@@AustinCoulson any luck ?

[@AustinCoulson]

@@jaimebravo1962 not that I know of. Unless you are able to change out the intake manifold to the older style and add a distributor, but I'm not sure it would even fit

[@jaimebravo1962]

@@AustinCoulson right no spot to put it in. I think I'm out of luck

[@joell439]

Like a top…… 👍😎👍

[@hughphillips67Mustang]

I have a 65 f100. Previous owner put a 390 in it. When I connect the negative battery cable to the terminal, it sparks, and tries to start the motor. Even with no key in it. I put in a new ignition, and new solenoid. Still does the same thing. I sanded all the grounds and checked for bare wires. Can't find any issues. I don't know what to do from here. I'm lost. Please help.

[@AustinCoulson]

Sounds like your solenoid is stuck closed. You can test that with an ohm meter on the solenoid. The main terminals should be open until power is supplied.

[@JoeB-pv8su]

Can you do a video showing the proper way to wire a Diesel engine like a tractor?

[@AustinCoulson]

I may have to do that soon as I am in the middle of an engine rebuild and light restoration of an old Massey Ferguson with the Perkins 4 cyl diesel

[@JoeB-pv8su]

@@AustinCoulson Great! Looking forward to seeing it!

[@fixins]

Having worked in both construction and warehouse settings, there are never keys to anything. Someone walked off with them or the switch broke but virtually every piece of gear I ever used had a screwdriver in the ignition or most likely a light switch scavenged from a house getting demoed.

[@stevenkasten1149]

What happens if you don't have a solenoid I'm working on a 1959 Austin princess Rolls-Royce and it won't start

[@quadsonz7244]

i have an 1986 Oldsmobile cutlass Ciara v.6?

[@quadsonz7244]

sorry some reason rest of text disappeared but where is the video about changing gauges?

[@bradyr7227]

What kind of in-line fuse to use? Got a link?

[@AustinCoulson]

amzn.to/3JYumQs this isn't the exact one I used in this vide, but it is the one I have used most recently

[@bradyr7227]

@@AustinCoulson thanks! So, would I use a 40a fuse? I think I have the inherited mess you described. Only have one wire coming off my alternator... it is not plugging into the Acc terminal on the key switch. Instead, it's connected to a volt meter/usb plug where the old ammeter would have been. Seems like power is always being supplied to alternator ...as evidenced by me accidentally shocking myself when I was trying to tension the belt. I've smoked a couple of key switches so I know something is not right.

[@AustinCoulson]

@@bradyr7227 that sounds super common and similar to my setup. I usually run a 30amp fuse for a setup like this as it really only needs about 18amps. Getting the wiring set up correctly on older rigs is the best thing you can do to prevent a fire down the road so I'm glad you are getting it dialed in.

[@quadsonz7244]

Where the vid about the mechanical gauges i got floaters

[@curtismuma1931]

Nice job. A little fast though

[@bendevcam]

what about grounds?

[@parsidhu9261]

Hey, question for you. I was trying to clean up my wiring so... I connected all the wires prior to the starter solenoid terminal. Now I have crank but no start. Should all the wires be individually connected to the positive terminal?

[@AustinCoulson]

connecting them individually or all together makes no difference. It sounds like one of your wires was incorrectly hooked back up, not hooked up at all or is loose/dirty. Email me with more info if you are still stuck [e-mail]

[@parsidhu9261]

@AustinCoulson thanks for getting back to me. The wires are very brittle and cracked. Plan is to run a new harness, but I'll Jimmy up some wires to test. Thanks again

[@r.joseph8911]

The video music is identical to “Bleed The Freak” by Alice In Chains…

[@stevenkasten1149]

I can't find no diagrams no tips and nothing

[@MrSeadoobie]

sOlenoid. It says it right there on your diagram. Why does everyone call them cYlenoids?

[@drew7117]

☹️ ƤＲＯ𝓂Ｏ𝕤ᗰ

[@keithsworld]

Dam bro why not go back to building cars ?

[@AustinCoulson]

Because I had a broken forklift that I needed to fix

[@elisancere3578]

Why can't everything be as reliable as an hour or mileage gage !🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@STBRetired1]

You start out talking about classic engines and then work on a 1925 goddamned FORKLIFT??? You couldn't use a 1965 Ford Galaxie or Chevy or something similar that we all could relate to?

[@AustinCoulson]

Oh man I wish I had a 65 Galaxie I could have shown this on. Luckily the process is exactly the same. In fact, I am in the middle of a full restoration on that forklift and I saved the wiring to plug and play onto a 58 F100 I will be getting running soon.