Alternator / Starter wiring Q

[Mr Two]

So, which goes where? The layout of the terminals seems a bit different than what I've read - its certainly different than the starter I replaced. It's a stock 260 getrag starter.

Blk/grn is the smaller of the two, Blk/ylw is bigger. I'm guessing they go on the terminals corresponding to their size? The largest terminal should get the big red wire from the alternator and the body harness coming out of the e36 harness cover, correct?

The other red wire pictured is also coming from the wiring harness cover, and is smaller than the wire thats currently on the alternator. Where does it go? It's a ground, correct?

[Mr Two]

Okay, so that mystery wire is power to the fuse box for an e36. I can't remember where it was originally connected.

[Mr Two]

Apparently it can just be bolted to large terminal on the starter with the other two power cables.

[MattM]

from the B post you should have the E30 wire to your fuse box, and a wire from the M50 harness to your starter, and then the M50 wire from alternator connects to the same post on the starter. the M50 harness when originally in the E36/E34 also powered the fusebox, thats what the extra wire is for. some people cut it off, others connect it to any positive place(B post, or starter work fine)

[ThreeTwentyFissel]

any links on perchased goods!? pm it to me plz!

[matt]

The other red wire pictured is also coming from the wiring harness cover, and is smaller than the wire thats currently on the alternator. Where does it go? It's a ground, correct?

Red is never ground. Only solid brown wires are ground. You can cause yourself catastrophic problems if you mess that up.

Connect the smaller wires to the post on the starter that they fit on, one is smaller and one is larger, just like you said.

[papajetta]

no grounds there.... 2 big ones go exactly where they fit ( which is where u have them )
black yellow only fits below those. that should be your starter switch wire.
black green should fit on the top post that is empty on your picture. thats your unloader wire. unloads all accesories when black yellow wire is powered. meaning that when u r cranking ur starter all available power is sent to the starter by cutting off radio, blower motor, windows,..... etc

[Mr Two]

Apparently that wire was retained and used to power the e30 fusebox, and I had forgotten I had disconnected.


It was a long day.

[cbusrehab]

from the B post you should have the E30 wire to your fuse box, and a wire from the M50 harness to your starter, and then the M50 wire from alternator connects to the same post on the starter. the M50 harness when originally in the E36/E34 also powered the fusebox, thats what the extra wire is for. some people cut it off, others connect it to any positive place(B post, or starter work fine)

Can you run the wire from the M50 harness that went to the E36 harness to the E30 fusebox? Then would you be able to get rid of the original E30 fusebox power wire that runs from the B post to E30 fusebox?

[monkeytaco]

Can you run the wire from the M50 harness that went to the E36 harness to the E30 fusebox? Then would you be able to get rid of the original E30 fusebox power wire that runs from the B post to E30 fusebox?

I am thinking of doing this as well, does anyone have experience with it? I haven't opened up the e30 fusebox to see if it can be done. It would clean up my wiring a bit by removing an extra power cable that seems unnecessary.

[328ijunkie]

Can you run the wire from the M50 harness that went to the E36 harness to the E30 fusebox? Then would you be able to get rid of the original E30 fusebox power wire that runs from the B post to E30 fusebox?

This.
That is what the smaller red wire is for that is pictured in post 1. it goes to the E36 fuse box. You can route this to the E30 fuse box instead or rip it out.

[cbusrehab]

alright. So does that mean that if I hook that wire up to the e30 fusebox and I can then get rid of the power wire running from b post to fusebox that was used with the m20. Trying to clean up wires that I don't need.

[328ijunkie]

Yup.

[cbusrehab]

Cool. Thanks for the info