I have a 53 chevy 210 w/235 running on 12volt w/generator. The starter solenoid has 4 terminals - two large ones and two small (one labeled "S" and one labeled "R"). Just got one from Napa that's spec'd for car but, it's only got 3 terminals! Any ideas as to what the hell is going on?
The S terminal connects to the start terminal of the ignition switch, while the R terminal is used to byp*** the ignition ballast resistor for better starting. Chances are that they eliminated that terminal. Probably found out that you could wire the byp*** wire to the S terminal and it would do the same thing as the R terminal.
You sound like you know what the hell you're talkin' about. And it seems to be the only solenoid made for the car now. I'll put the damn thing on! Thanks
I wonder if that will work. Up to a certain year the ignition switch determines whether the R terminal can be byp***ed or not, I know my 57 is that way. In other words, some ignition switches allow the byp*** to function and others when wired that way won't let the engine turn off.
???? Did you get a solinoid for the 53 car? If so that would be a 6 volt one which would have only had 3 terminals. To get the 4 terminal one ask for a solnoid for a 55-57 Chevy 6, that will be a 12 volt one and would have came with the resistor byp***.
Not true, If you did have it hooked together, then the S terminal would have voltage by the ignition switch in the run position through the ignition wire to the coil/ballast resistor, causing a back feed, and the starter would continue to run when you let off the key in the start position. Up til 65, gm ignition switches didn't have provision for ignition power to the coil in the start position. Making it necessary to get voltage to the coil or resistor from another "switch". When the S terminal has voltage, the solenoid's pull- in winding is activated, using an electromagnet to "pull" the plunger connected to the starter drive and the large contact plates in the solenoid. The large contact plates then make connection between the large battery stud and the large motor stud for the starter motor, causing it to spin. Consequently the R terminal is contacted and voltage is sent out of it through the wire to the positive side of the coil or resistor. Effectively making the start solenoid a "relay" to power the ignition system.
Sounds as though possibly when the car was switched over to 12volts they may have subs***uted a Ford solenoid. Most Ford solenoids have the 4 terminals.
Ok I found it. picture attached. I just need to get it tomorrow so I can make the Primer Nats. Anybody know if Napa gets there parts through this BWD Automotive? Same exact picture of rear. Just doesn't show the terminals on Napa.
Perhaps, but the ballast drops the coil voltage to down around 6V and that might not be enough to energize the solenoid, right???? Could just put a simple diode inline with the ballast byp*** wire, should fix.
A starter solenoid for a 61 235 should have all four posts on it. http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPag...ber=ST124&Description=Starter+Solenoid+Switch GM dropped the byp*** post when they started putting electronic ignition on cars. Anything 73 and earlier should have the byp*** stud on it. An easy fix might be to put a push ****on under the dash and run one wire to a hot all the time post and one to the + side of the coil. Turn the key and push the ****on at the same time to start and away you go.
In early GM wiring harnesses, the ‘R’ circuit was a ballast resistor byp***. The ballast resistor drops voltage to ~6 volts to protect the points and since cranking lowers that already reduced voltage at the coil, the ignition needs a secondary source of power during cranking. With the cranking load, coil voltage would go as low as 3-4 volts if it only had the one, resisted, source. The "R" terminal on your original solenoid is dead when the starter is not spinning, and hot +12V when cranking. So this ballast resistor byp*** provides +12V to the ignition coil during cranking for better spark when starting. Cars that do not have a ballast resistor (i.e. HEI) no longer need this connection, so the terminal was eliminated. Unless you add another power source (2nd switch as mentioned, etc) the engine will have insufficient ignition during cranking. A clean way to accomplish this, then, is to connect a 3A/400PIV diode in line with the "load side" of the solenoid. The "load side" being the terminal on the solenoid with the connection to the starter motor... the one opposite the battery terminal on the solenoid. If you can wire an extra switch, you can wire this. Like a check valve, a diode's function is to allow flow in one direction, so the banded end goes away from the starter. This set-up allows current to go from the starter to boost the coil during cranking and not back to the starter. That or replace your points with an HEI
Well said except for the part about providing 12 volts during cranking. The idea is correct as it was intended, but the electrical smarties from gm knew that the voltage would drop to around 10 volts or so to the coil when the starter was cranking through the R terminal makind that close enough for them to the desired 9 or so the ballast resistor provides. I noticed in this thread that there was mention of your car still being 6 volts. Is it? If so then we are barking up the wrong tree on the solenoid issue and the solenoid the parts guy gave you would have been correct for a 6 volt car. Originally you car had a keyed ignition only and a separate circuit for the start solenoid, fired by a push ****on either on the dash or floor. Your coil would then have volts anytime the key was in the "on" position. This solenoid would only have the three terminals then. The last thing we want is to lead you astray..
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