Explain remote solenoid?

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fleming442

Captain Tenneal
Dec 26, 2013
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Then, why the "Ford Starter Tool" nickname for a BFH?
The only logical explanation I can come up with for this is: as TURNA said "heat creates resistance". By installing a Ford starter relay, you have not changed any of the GM starter's internal wiring. In effect, it is the exact same thing as putting a screwdriver across the terminals of a GM starter. The internal relay is still there and active. So, the Ford starter relay provides enough amperage to overcome the resistance in the GM motor relay coil once hot.
You are correct about the Bendix drive; it's the motor that won't spin when hot.
 

Bonnewagon

Lost in the Labyrinth
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Sep 18, 2009
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the bendix is not affected by the hea
Wrong, that is part of why the hot starter won't turn. The GM solenoid does two things. The first is to push the starter drive into position. That takes X amount of amps. When hot I would imagine expansion makes that bendix drive sluggish. The second is to push the copper disc to contact the two copper stud ends inside the solenoid cover. That takes Y amount of amps. That disc connects the "BATT" cable to the tab coming out of the motor itself. Then and only then can the motor operate. Now add up all the resistance from the battery wiring through the fuse block, ignition switch, neutral start switch, all the way though the purple wire to the solenoid. That takes Z amount of amps. X,Y,and Z total up to the amount of amps required to energize the starter and turn the engine over. When cold- no problemo. When hot- big problemo. That is why the remote solenoid takes away all that WIRING resistance and replaces it with a short shunt between the "Batt" and "S" terminals. End of problemo. Steve you answered my question yet you are fighting yourself- why?
 
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Bonnewagon

Lost in the Labyrinth
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Sep 18, 2009
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jumper wire compensates for that problem
Exactly. There is no "bypass" of anything. By getting a solid 12 volts to the stock solenoid, it works even when hot. Anyway- you answered my question- thanks Steve.
 

64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
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Yikes, not a lot of love for my anti-blue oval comments. I was kidding, mostly, anyway.

I have to admit though, I see this (remote starter solenoid) upgrade as a solution to old wiring, starter and battery components. My point being that when this upgrade is completed 90%+ of the time it involves using new cables which are the big culprit in starting issues in hot conditions. I think Turna, or someone, described the issue of increased resistance due to heat in a cable/wire. Mix that in with wires that were sized to the minimum + a little, and that are ooooold, and voila, the remote starter solenoid setup saves the day.

x2 with Fleming, heat soak is heat soak, the starter isn't any cooler due to how it is wired. And remember, 'happiness is a warm gun' and a cool starter :):)
 
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hoffa65

Master Mechanic
Mar 11, 2019
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Mark, I had a friend who did not believe he needed a Ford style solenoid on his all Chevy Camaro. He thought a relay on the purple wire and upgraded the wire to S terminal with a larger gauge wire will give the solenoid a full 12 volts and would solve the problem. He used the B terminal for the 12 volt power source for the relay but that did not help. He ended up with a remote solenoid and no problems after that. When the spring is over heated and prevents the contact plate to contact the S terminal it does not matter how much power you are giving the S terminal, the starter will not work.

this is from one of the many thread about heat soaked GM starters littering the internet...that is the part # for the short spring

"Chevy makes a optional Plunger Return Spring Part #1958679, cost $2.25 that supposedly will help this problem "
This makes no sense.
As long as you are running the battery + cable to the "B" terminal on the starter solenoid you are using the internal contacts of the starter solenoid to power the starter motor, no matter what other relay you add in.
 
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Bonnewagon

Lost in the Labyrinth
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That's what I've been saying. So anyway I just got a PowerMaster 9510 high torque starter AND the remote solenoid. These are going on the Pontiac 400 that had the Pro-Master starter hitting the flywheel. It has headers and 39 year old wiring. Hopefully this is the cure.
 
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hoffa65

Master Mechanic
Mar 11, 2019
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1558044794588.png


As long as your wiring is wired like this, This DOES NOT remove the relay function from the stock solenoid and you are still using the internal contacts within the solenoid to power the started motor. The motor get its power from the lower terminal on the solenoid and the Battery + is on the top terminal. In order to bypass the "relay function" you have to bridge the top ("B") terminal, bottom terminal and the "S" terminal. Then and only then you will bypass the internal contacts within the solenoid and thus "bypass the relay function"of the solenoid.
 

84GP455

G-Body Guru
Jun 19, 2007
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For what it's worth, I have mine hooked up this way. It's a little different than the other diagrams seen on here but it was the way the owner of the starter/alternator shop that I go to told me to hook it up. It seems to crank over quicker than my previous setup.

solenoid.JPG
 

Jame

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Oct 9, 2018
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Im a remote solinoid fan. If you have to put a starter on in a non ideal setting the signal wire is a pain with headers. Plus you have a easy place to use a remote starter button when running valves. But you cant always use the remote solinoid with permant mag starters causes run on. I switched starters and had to go back to original
 
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