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Electrical Gurus Chime In - Mini Starter and HEI

Whiplash

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 21, 2003
Messages
276
Location
New Jersey
Corvette
71 Kandy Burple Conv / 02 MY Z06
Getting closer to dropping the body on. Just installed a new ProForm mini/high torque starter on the crate motor. The instructions were really weak and the online instructions match what came in the box.

The selenoid had only 2 places to attach wires. One large terminal for the battery and one small tab for a spade connector (included in the box) to attach to the wiring harness for the smaller starter wire. I'm assuming this is for the switch/ingition key wire.

The original larger starter has the battery terminal and an S & R connector for the to smaller harness wires. On my wiring diagram these two connectors are for the switch and the coil.

Now to add insult to injury. I'm installing and HEI Tach Drive distributor. I had the wiring harness guys put in and HEI plug in the harness to make it a clean installation. The HEI eliminates the stand alone coil.

Here's the question... How do I wire the mini starter for this setup? Options I'm thinking about include the following:

1) Just connect battery and larger red wire (I know the ground goes to the starter mounting bolt to the block) to the larger terminal, put the spade connector on the purple wire (switch wire) and connect to the tab on the starter, and ignore/eliminate the yellow wire for the coil. (I have to check if it's part of the harness or if it was a wired direct from the old coil.

2) Same as 1 above but I need to provide some kind of connection from the starter to the HEI. I'm not sure where this would need to connect to if anywhere at all.

3) I've got it all wrong and one of you will chime in with a completely different solution.

Thanks in advance.

Whiplash
 
Just went outside to check the wiring again. The yellow coil wire is part of the harness and appears to be part of the plug the wiring guys put together for me for the HEI. So I'm pretty sure it needs to connect to something. I know it only provides voltage during cranking. Does and HEI system even need this connection during cranking? The Red wire to the HEI is full voltage (I had that changed when they made the harness) Thoughts?
 
Just went outside to check the wiring again. The yellow coil wire is part of the harness and appears to be part of the plug the wiring guys put together for me for the HEI. So I'm pretty sure it needs to connect to something. I know it only provides voltage during cranking. Does and HEI system even need this connection during cranking? The Red wire to the HEI is full voltage (I had that changed when they made the harness) Thoughts?

No, you don't need the connection with the HEI. On the old starter, the "R" terminal went up to the stock coil to supply FULL 12V while cranking. WHen the starter solenoid disengages, the 12V is removed from the "R" terminal and the coil is then supplied by the RESISTOR wire.

The HEI is supplied with a FULL 12V all the time, so there is no need to consider a "start circuit".
 
No, you don't need the connection with the HEI. On the old starter, the "R" terminal went up to the stock coil to supply FULL 12V while cranking. WHen the starter solenoid disengages, the 12V is removed from the "R" terminal and the coil is then supplied by the RESISTOR wire.

The HEI is supplied with a FULL 12V all the time, so there is no need to consider a "start circuit".

Thanks. Your explanation makes sense. I appreciate the confirmation. I'll tape off the yellow wire. The interesting thing is the wire harness guys connected the yellow wire to the HEI along with the red. I guess they just wanted to keep all the original wires in there in case I ever wanted to go back to points.
 

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