Starter solenoid current draw differences?

[bedowinn]

My starter pooped out at Buttonwillow during practice. A fellow competitor loaned me his backup and it worked great. Sent my starter to get it rebuilt. Installed in the car and nada. Checked the voltage at the starter wire, 12.6V. Checked the solenoid voltage while depressing the starter button, 12.6V. So I attached the starting battery to the car to gain an easy +12v signal, ran a wire from the + post to the solenoid wire and it spun the starter.

Im looking at adding a dedicated heavy gauge wire from the master switch to a new pushbutton switch to the solenoid.

So why would one starter behave so differently than another?

[BeerBudgetRacing]

A wire might be broken internally.

It will show voltage but will fail to transmit the amps.

I had this where it would start when cold but as the wires were warmed in the engine bay during a race, they would expand and internally separate.

Did the competitors spare twist the + wire differently than your starter? A change in wire positioning may be just enough for the problem to appear to go away.

[bedowinn]

A wire might be broken internally.

It will show voltage but will fail to transmit the amps.

I had this where it would start when cold but as the wires were warmed in the engine bay during a race, they would expand and internally separate.

Did the competitors spare twist the + wire differently than your starter? A change in wire positioning may be just enough for the problem to appear to go away.

Thanks for the info. I have to believe its the wiring. I spoke to the man who rebuilt this starter, and it spun up OK before he shipped it to me. I will check the wiring in the car and replace it all.

Hopefully that fixes it, otherwise Stewart will have to push start me at Thunderhill.

[FVRacer21]

A trick the street VW bug guys use is to run a relay for the solenoid (which I know is a "relay). Many people scrimp on the wiring to the solenoid and some can draw some amps during pull in. A properly designed starter solenoid will drop the coil amperage when engaged.

https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wired/...ired_03_01.htm


Chrisz

ps - with the right connectors it can be reverted back to original in a few seconds

[bedowinn]

A trick the street VW bug guys use is to run a relay for the solenoid (which I know is a "relay). Many people scrimp on the wiring to the solenoid and some can draw some amps during pull in. A properly designed starter solenoid will drop the coil amperage when engaged.

https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wired/...ired_03_01.htm


Chrisz

ps - with the right connectors it can be reverted back to original in a few seconds

Thanks Chris!
I replaced the wire from the starter button to the solenoid. Starter works fine now.