Newer style starter upgrade and fender solenoid

[89LincolnTWNcar]

So I know you must move the starter engagement wire (big black wire F7VF) to the always hot side of the terminal on the fender relay, but here is my dilemma:



The hot side is full of crap! Now this picture is older and since I have moved that 175A fuse to a small junction box closer to the 3G alternator, but I also have a stereo system in the trunk (Red 10Ga wire) . What have you guys done to minimize or eliminate some of these connections at the fender solenoid? I thought about moving some directly to the battery + by installing a new cable with multiple connectors and wires on it.

I would LOVE to make that little circuit breaker (Yellow 14Ga wire) go away, as well as those fusible links there!

[sly]

Leave that mess alone and just loop the little wire on the starter back to the fat wire on the starter. Done.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Yeah that should work. Basically what you're doing is both powering the starter and triggering it at the same time. No downside to that setup that I can think of, and you end up with a starter that is not hot-powered all the time - that's always good in my book.

[87gtVIC]

I'd get rid of ALL the fusible links by installing an aero fuse box or the like.

Here is my engine bay/battery area:






Underneath the battery on vertical piece of the plastic inner fender I mounted a mega fuse holder for the 3g alternator charge wire. I actually relocated my starter wire to that mega fuse block. It has battery power already so it helped me keep the clutter down at the fender mounted solenoid.

I have a MASSIVE cable from the battery to the solenoid as well as a 4 gauge wire for the amp in the trunk and another hefty cable going to the aero fuse box. Another cable on the fuse box looping right down to the mega fuse holder where the mega fuse is and the starter wire.


I think I read something that advised against the "easy" way around wiring in the newer starters. I will look it up and report back.

[87gtVIC]

Disregard my comment against the "easy" way. I mixed up a thread talking about deleting the fender mounted solenoid in its entirety.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

I'd get rid of ALL the fusible links by installing an aero fuse box or the like.

Do we have a proper write-up on this disaster? I mean something that list exactly which wire gets hooked up to which MAXI fuse, and such? That is sorta important, since fuse links are not usually rated in amperage, and also not all wires inside the fuse box are the same size. I recall having a bear of a time deciding how to hook mine up, ended up matching wire sizes as close as possible and then selecting the fuse sizes based on what's downstream along the respective circuit (EVTM helps big time here).

[87gtVIC]

Short answer is No.

long answer is:

The EVTM tells you the size of the fusible link.

Fusible link is always 4 gauges smaller than the wire circuit it is protecting.

Now you know the wire sizes of the circuits and you use a chart (don't know where or what chart I used is now) to see the max ampherage capable through siad wire gauge. Fuse accordingly. Been fine in my car since 2010.

This link and petes may be the closest we have to a write up....

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?26257-My-1987-Two-Door-Crown-Victoria-AKA-THE-BROWN-BLOB&p=505614&viewfull=1#post505614

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?3031-evolved-underhood-relay-fuse-box

I think for aero fuse box side of things common sense comes into play when choosing what wires/sizes to use.

[gadget73]

When I did mine, I looked at the later fuse box's ratings for the equivalent circuit and just used those values. Nothing has managed to catch fire or blow fuses yet. Guess it worked.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

The EVTM tells you the size of the fusible link.

Fusible link is always 4 gauges smaller than the wire circuit it is protecting.

Now you know the wire sizes of the circuits and you use a chart (don't know where or what chart I used is now) to see the max ampherage capable through siad wire gauge. Fuse accordingly.

Yup, so basically the same thing I did. Except I was also adding up the fuses of everything in the under-dash fuse panel that runs off each main wire. Cause, would be no fun if it were easy.

When I did mine, I looked at the later fuse box's ratings for the equivalent circuit and just used those values. Nothing has managed to catch fire or blow fuses yet. Guess it worked.

Now that's just cheating any way you look at it

[87gtVIC]

Yup, so basically the same thing I did. Except I was also adding up the fuses of everything in the under-dash fuse panel that runs off each main wire. Cause, would be no fun if it were easy.


Now that's just cheating any way you look at it

Thain's way makes the most sense.

[gadget73]

Cheat to win

You could get analytic and wire in an ammeter and turn on all of the stuff on that circuit to determine full load amperage, then add some amount for surge and size it accordingly but that sounds like actual work.

[turbo2256b]

I dont even use those POS solenoids any more. Instead use the the heavy duty T style ones since they have longer terminal posts. Guessing they shortened up some of the styles to save money on the MFG end and screw you.

[89LincolnTWNcar]

That's a pretty clean lookin' engine bay I must say. Also is that a fuel injected 351W with Lightning intakes? I'm sure I could figure it out and work those wires into a fuse box, but it would be work. I'll have to think about it lol.

[Grand Marquis GT]

I dont even use those POS solenoids any more. Instead use the the heavy duty T style ones since they have longer terminal posts. Guessing they shortened up some of the styles to save money on the MFG end and screw you.

Might have to do that.

[DerekTheGreat]

That's a pretty clean lookin' engine bay I must say. Also is that a fuel injected 351W with Lightning intakes? I'm sure I could figure it out and work those wires into a fuse box, but it would be work. I'll have to think about it lol.

David just had to drop that picture in here didn't he?

Looks great indeed, everything pretty much looks factory and that's what I dig.