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"S" terminal on starter solenoid?


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Can someone help me what the "S" terminal is? Im doing the wiring for the JTR V8 swap It says connect the black/white to the "S" terminal on the starter solenoid (72 240 and 350 chevy with HEI). I found it mentioned quite a bit, but never explained it. Is it the smaller of the 2 terminals? Thankzzz

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S- Is for Start and R- is for run.

When you turn your key all the way on you send power to the S wire that ingauges your starter and spins the motor.

When you let off the key after the motor is running on its own the power stops going into the S wire and stays going into the R wire allowing the car to continue to run...

Does that make sense?

 

That's not how it works, the "R" terminal is a leftover from the oldskool way of building cars. No Chevy V8's have actually used the R terminal since the very early 70's You see that terminal is for a car equipped with a points style distributor. Those ignition systems require a ballast resistor or the coil would fry itself in a short period of time. The "R" terminal is a bypass to allow full voltage to the coil during startup. I didn't bother explaining the purpose of the R terminal because it is of no use these days. (unless you are actually running a points style distributor?)

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Accually I miss posted it should read "connect BLACK/yellow to the S terminal. I have 2 terminals the cable from the battery and the larger white wire go to the large lug on the starter, so Im assuming (there is that word again) the black/yellow goes to the other. I can't see any "R" or "S" on the starter solenoid.This is also an HEI set up

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I removed the starter today to get a better look at the soleinoid. I missed it before but it was marked with an "s". Thanks again. Only 2 remaining wires to go and they are both black and white and go the the HEI. I just have to figure which is which because they are not marked and no protective sleeve. Then im good to go.

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There are only two wires that go to the HEI. (other than the 3 that go from the base to the cap) Of the two, one is to power the HEI unit and has 12+ when the ignition switch is turned to "ON" You can easily check for that with a test light. The remaining wire is the one that goes to your tachometer.

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  • 1 year later...
There are only two wires that go to the HEI. (other than the 3 that go from the base to the cap) Of the two, one is to power the HEI unit and has 12+ when the ignition switch is turned to "ON" You can easily check for that with a test light. The remaining wire is the one that goes to your tachometer.

 

Can the HEI draw power from any 12V keyed source? I'm doing a 280zx, so it's a different beast than the S30's as far as wiring. Should I just one of the 12V wires from the now redundant ignition relay?

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Any 12 volt source will power the HEI, BUT; Whatever you use, it MUST stay live 12v even with the key in the 'start' position. It took me an hour chasing wires to figure this out after I got my rx7 back (sold it two years ago to a friend, bought it back last summer) in non-running condition. Every time I cranked it, the 12v to the ignition cut off, so I got no spark and a lot of flooding.... :evil: it would have helped if the timing was close too.. :roll:

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Any 12 volt source will power the HEI, BUT; Whatever you use, it MUST stay live 12v even with the key in the 'start' position. It took me an hour chasing wires to figure this out after I got my rx7 back (sold it two years ago to a friend, bought it back last summer) in non-running condition. Every time I cranked it, the 12v to the ignition cut off, so I got no spark and a lot of flooding.... :evil: it would have helped if the timing was close too.. :roll:

 

LOL

 

I could see that happening to me. Had to have been frustrating.

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