early starter wired to a late harness?

[akorcovelos]

I have a 2.7i that I just installed, my original starter would just free spin but the spur gear wouldn't kick out to engage the flywheel. I got a early style starter to replace it but it has one less terminal than my late style starter.

The Bently mentions post 88 cars having an extra wire, but I have heard all m20 starters work on all m20s. Anyone have any idea how to hook it up?

Here is my original starter:


and here's the early starter installed, notice the lack of the top threaded terminal.

[rs4pro3]

the early starter uses a spade connector instead of a ring connector for the black/yellow wire, so you need to clip the plug and put a spade connector on the harness.

[akorcovelos]

so the battery positive goes on the right terminal (looking from the front of the car) as well as the thick red lead coming from the harness, but there are two other small black wires, one that comes from the same part of the harness as the thick red wire, and one that comes from someplace else, which one goes on the top spade connector?

[rs4pro3]

both the small wires go to the same spade connector.

[akorcovelos]

hmm, would having the black wire that comes out where the red wire comes from on the same terminal as the red wire prevent the spur from kicking out? I thought it was strange that my starter worked fine when I pulled the motor and not when I reinstalled...

[winfred]

to use the 1 small wire starter
ground the smallest wire that was held with the 8mm nut it's green and black if i remember correct, it kicks out a relay during starting that powers down a few systems on the car to provide more power for the starter, without that you won't have windows and a few other things usually

[akorcovelos]

got the original (late model) starter working, just had it hooked up wrong...Thanks though.

[h82crash]

Do your windows work? The unloader relays attach at the starter and the green wire should be attached to the terminal between the solinoid and the starter.

[akorcovelos]

yeah, got it hooked up correctly now.