I'm converting my 53 Bel Air to 12v and re-wiring it at the same time. I have a question about the starter wiring...my positive battery terminal is wired to the starter. Based on the write-ups I've seen, they suggest installing a ballast resistor before the positive terminal of the 12v coil, but no resistor before the original 6v starter. Am I missing something? I feel like running 12v to the starter can't be ideal, and won't this ballast resistor just reduce the power going to the new 12v coil down to 6v? Something tells me I have the resistor in the wrong place. Can anyone explain this to me? Thanks! Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
You're mixing up the starter and the coil...no ballast between the battery and the starter...but, depending on what type of starter solenoid you have, depends on what you need to do with some wiring and the resistor.
6v starters can tolerate 12v, as long as the starting cycle is not too long. If it takes longer than a few revolutions of the engine to start the engine, then I would either tune the engine to start easier. As far as the ballast resistor, yes, you will need the resistor in order not to burn up the existing 6v coil.
The ballast is necessary even with the 12 volt coil so as to not burn out the points if you still have them. The starter will tolerate 12 volts as stated earlier but you will need a 12 volt solenoid as well.
Ok, the ballast resistor/coil/points thing makes sense. Now that you mention it, I feel like I did read that somewhere before. So the starter can be run with the 6V solenoid if I don't crank for too long...and it may burn out faster? Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
Are the solenoids easy enough to find at parts stores, or do I have to source it from a specialty shop? Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
Wait...not familiar with 53 Chevy's, but do you have a foot starter or solenoid? For some reason I had you in mind doing a V8 swap and going 12v.
You can get a voltage drop resistor to reduce the voltage to the 6v for the coil or just buy a Gm 12v coil that has an internal resistor(no ballast resistor required) to make things simple. change the condensor in the distributor as well to a 12v one. Not sure what type of starter you have. If it has an electric solenoid, you can drop the voltage in the control circuit with a resistor ( small wire going to the solenoid )the big cable can stay 12v. 6V starters tolerate 12v pretty well, just spin a little faster.
No V8...stock 6 and stock starter. Not too sure about the starter, but pretty sure it has an electric solenoid. Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
If the starter is operated by a solonoid you'll need a 12 v solonoid,leave the starter at 6 volt,as said before the if the car is tuned correctly and you don't have to crank on the starter for long periods it'll last for years. I could be wrong but to change the starter to 12 volts you need a ring gear change also as the tooth count and pitch is different from 6 to 12. Change the coil 12 v and one using an external resistor,get the ceramic resistor, from NAPA, and mount that, now comes the tricky part, on your starter solnoid run a wire from the start side of it to the side of the coil that the ballast is hooked to,what this does is send 12 volts to the coil only when the starter is engaged, this will make a hotter spark at the coil to start, the internal resisted coils do not have this capability, then when the starter is released the resistor will continue to provide enough voltage to the coil to operate. The resistor cuts the voltage down to around 6 volts going into the coil that is all that is required to operate it
Ok, so let me make sure I understand this...once I've swapped in the 12v solenoid, I'm running a wire from the start side of the solenoid to the positive terminal of the coil, then another wire from the + coil terminal to the ceramic resistor? Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
I had a mid 50's solenoid, I don't think there's "start and run" terminals, I think it's just done from the key switch. The solenoid doesn't look like a modern GM unit with the start and run terminals, but a just one terminal for start/ignition, I think it had a pivot rod on it, but that may have been for a conversion from a foot starter....take a look at your starter and try to get a pic of it. Also, you should have a ballast resistor already, right? look on the firewall for a white ceramic block.
Did not see any mention of changing to negative ground. Hopefully that is part of this change. There will be a third connection point on the solenoid which is only hot when the start wire (from key or ****on) energizes solenoid. That wire goes to coil +. (or output side of ballast resistor)
So this is how I have it wired so far: I'm using an E-Z Wiring kit, and this is the diagram they provided: Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
Looks right so far. You still have to trigger the S from Start on key switch or a ****on. Is there another small pole on solenoid as shown in diagram? If not, that small one may be the S or trigger pole.
true your starter does not have the R terminal for 12v starting. Do they make a 12v solenoid that would fit that starter?, its not the common GM solenoid.To reduce the starter solenoid voltage you could add a resistor to the wire going to the S terminal, a 200watt 1 ohm resistor would do it. 100watt resistors are more common and less expensive and may be adequate . you could pull the 12 start voltage from the S terminal but you would need a large Diode to keep the igntion voltage from running the starter continuously.
Positive cable from battery to starter lug. Negative cable to engine/starter bolt or frame. I prefer negative to cleaned spot on frame. Frame, engine, body MUST all be connected with GOOD grounds. I make custom cables to connect one to the other.
Don't worry about starting, as that resistor does not reduce voltage immediately, so you will start on (about) 12v, then, after a bit, 6v. Starter does NOT care about polarity, it'll turn properly no matter which terminal is connected. Cosmo
Mine is converted and I DIDNT put anything between the battery and starter just the coil. Only different now is the starter works less and starts faster
It looks like you still need the wire from the solinoid to the resistor,someone correct me if I'm wrong but the terminal that goes to the starter from the solinoid I would connect a wire there and run it to the coils side of the resistor, pretty much what the picture shows.
Just remember that if you hook a wire from output side of ballast resistor that it will have voltage when the key is ON. I believe that will try to operate the starter when you turn on the key. Not what you want. It works on the solenoids like in the diagram because there is an extra stud which is only contacting anything when the solenoid is energized. You may not need the ballast byp***, if engine starts easy enough. Give it a try.
The Jalopy Journal
