Starter Solenoid
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 63
Likes: 2
Starter Solenoid Hi Guys, my project vehicle is a 1985 S10 with stock 5.3 Vortec engine. I have the battery in the pickup bed and have a heavy duty cable going to the engine compartment. I don't want to run the cable directly from the battery to the starter hot all the time for safety reasons. I want to put in a 90's Ford type starter solenoid at the battery in the rear and have that cable hot only while cranking. I will run other fused wires up front for the rest of the vehicle. My question is will the Ford solenoid handle the amps to operate the starter or do I need one like the trucks have to operate a snow plow ( big difference in price)? Thank You.
Man, it's been so long on this question for me. Ford does make a couple different rated solenoids. Don't quote me on this one, as it is purely from memory, but I believe the v8 solenoids were rated higher. A bit of google searching should get you in the right direction. Hope this helps a bit.
Lots of street rods (including my '39) have the battery in the trunk. Common practice is to run the positive to a kill switch, then to the solenoid on the starter. Run the ground to a starter bolt as well as to the frame. Where the cables go thru metal I use stuffing boxes rather than rubber grommets, use lots of hangers along the frame and mark the positive cable with red tape every foot or so. I understand your concerns regarding the cable hot all the time but I've never had a problem over the years with many rear mounted batteries. By the way, my HHR has the battery in the back too.
Lots of street rods (including my '39) have the battery in the trunk. Common practice is to run the positive to a kill switch, then to the solenoid on the starter. Run the ground to a starter bolt as well as to the frame. Where the cables go thru metal I use stuffing boxes rather than rubber grommets, use lots of hangers along the frame and mark the positive cable with red tape every foot or so. I understand your concerns regarding the cable hot all the time but I've never had a problem over the years with many rear mounted batteries. By the way, my HHR has the battery in the back too.
FYI: All generation 5 and 6 Camaros have the battery in the rear. The C6 Z06 and the manual transmission Grand Sport Corvettes have the battery in the rear. There is a fairly lengthy list of GM vehicles with rear mounted batteries, but these are the ones I'm personally familiar with that also have GM Gen III / IV / V engines.
None of these production GM vehicles use an extra solenoid to energize the starter and the entire cable run is live at all times. It's all about proper routing, fastening and if you feel the need - fusing or a circuit breaker.
None of these production GM vehicles use an extra solenoid to energize the starter and the entire cable run is live at all times. It's all about proper routing, fastening and if you feel the need - fusing or a circuit breaker.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 711
Likes: 6
From: PNW
Every BMW since about 1985 has had the battery in the trunk as well. Allll the way in the trunk tucked under the tail light pretty much as far away from the starter as physically possible without being mounted outside of the car. No problems there either.
And the the further away you put the solenoid from the starter, the more current will be required of it. Your solenoid may very well end up being the part that ironically causes the fire. Just run the cable carefully and forget the solenoid.
And the the further away you put the solenoid from the starter, the more current will be required of it. Your solenoid may very well end up being the part that ironically causes the fire. Just run the cable carefully and forget the solenoid.
look on craigslist for some used welding cable. 1/0 gauge, oil, heat and abrasion resistant.
some brass crimp ends and some adhesive lined heat shrink tube and you're in business.
imo if you mount the battery in the rear, running power to the starter and the ground right to the block is the only way to go.
some brass crimp ends and some adhesive lined heat shrink tube and you're in business.
imo if you mount the battery in the rear, running power to the starter and the ground right to the block is the only way to go.
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I use the Ford style solenoid with a trunk mounted battery, but I have my solenoid in the engine compartment. It is kind of a holdover from my days with a small block with headers where I needed the solenoid for hot start. For me now I just like it as a place to tap power from for other accessories that need 12Volt constant. My starter does not run on and my battery ground is to a stud on the trunk floor. I do have braided negative cables from body to engine however and never have any ground problems.