Mini starter

[Ramcharger90]

So I got a Pa performance mini starter for my 90 ranger. The starter solenoid seems to different from a fox body. I haven’t had a chance to go look at my notch to see if it has the trigger wire on the top center post like my rangers solenoid does. Any know if I have to wire this in differently then the mustang would need wired in?

 

[RonD]

A 1990 Ranger was wired to use the Starter Relay on the inner fender, so that is where the red/blue "start" wire from the ignition switch goes

But if it was a 4.0l Ranger then there would be a smaller wire from starter relay to starter solenoid/relay on starter motor, and the larger battery cable
If it was a 2.3l or 2.9l Ranger then it didn't use a start solenoid/relay on the starter motor, so just had the larger battery cable

If your new starter motor has the solenoid/relay on it then wire it up to use it
Extend red/blue wire to new starter motor, "S" post
And put larger starter motor battery cable directly on the battery positive post on the fender relay, so fender relay is not used, its now just the 12volt power distribution post

 

[Ramcharger90]

It was a 2.3l. So the trigger wire from the top center post goes down to the trigger on the starter relay on the starter, and the hot stays where they are on the solenoid on the fender well and starter? I don't have to move the one hot to the power distribution side of the solenoid?

 

[RonD]

"top center" has no meaning since a starter relay can be mounted in several orientations and there are different styles, 3 and 4 post

All Starter relays will have 2 larger posts and 1 or 2 smaller posts, smaller post are labelled "S" and if 2 "I"

One of the larger posts is the 12volt power distribution for the whole vehicle, has battery positive and several other wires on it

2nd larger post will just have one wire, to starter motor, it will be a larger cable if its the older system, same size as battery cable

The smaller "S" post is what activate the relay, red/blue wire from ignition switch
When activated the two larger posts are connected together inside the relay and so battery positive cable is connected to starter motor cable, which powers up the starter motor

And thats how it worked for 50 years or so

In the late 1980's early 1990's Ford started changing to starter motors that had built-in relays, smaller cylinder on top of the starter motor, that has its own "S" post, and it DOES have the "S" next to it, lol

These starter motors connected directly to battery positive and had the red/blue wire from ignition switch on the starter motors "S" post
red/blue wire actives the built-in relay and starter motor activates


This change was done to get a more reliable starter gear engagement
That smaller cylinder on top of starter motor is also a Solenoid so its a combo solenoid/relay
Whats in a name
A relay makes an electrical connection
A solenoid causes movement

The solenoid, when activated, pushes the starter gear out to engage the ring gear to turn the engine
It moves the gear out and back in, that was done before by a Bendix drive

The relay in it is what activates the solenoid milliseconds before starter motor gets it 12volts to activate

Its a more reliable system overall that earlier system

So look at your new starter motor, does it have an "S" post?

 

[Ramcharger90]

Got it wired. I ran the hot to the solenoid on the starter off my 4 post terminal that has the my pos bat side ran to for other hots I needed. And the trigger went to the post for it on the starter from the fender mounted solenoid.