The installation of a remote solenoid will relieve you of the dreaded heat soak problem of the starter solenoid from engine heat. Due to its location, the solenoid is exposed to extreme temperatures causing a reduction in current and an increase in resistance through the pull-in coil and consequent weakening of the magnetic field. This usually happens after driving around a hot summer day, shutting the engine off and then try to start the car after 20 or so minutes. Allowing the car to cool off will usually do the trick but that means your stuck being with people you really don t want to be with while you wait. This is not only annoying but embarassing as well. This problem seems to be more apparent on cars with headers, wild cams and hotter ignitions. Headers tend to surround the starter with heat due to the collector being closer.
The parts for a remote solenoid can be bought at most auto parts stores but Summit Racing or M.A.D. Enterprises have kits available at a much lower price and they include everything you need saving the hassle of hunting for the parts. The kits include: solenoid, correct gage wire, fusible links, terminals and shrink tubing. The solenoid is a Ford style unit with S and I terminals. The wire is 14 gage with the correct terminals. Also included is a terminal for changing your battery cable. Not included but needed is a battery cable to go from the battery to the new solenoid. If you do not buy the kit, you willneed to make a plate to connect your GM solenoid B+ terminal to the S terminal.
Assuming you have all the required parts, lets get to the installation. First, find a suitable place to mount the solenoid. On the GS, a good spot is on the passenger side fenderwell.n the passenger side fenderwell since it is close to the battery and starter. It also provides a convenient place to connect to the alteranator. If you choose a spot that is not grounded then you must run a wire from one of the solenoids mounting ears to a good ground source.
Remove the starter and install the plate which connects the starter's B+ terminal to the the S terminal. If you have a points ignition, leave the R terminal unconnected. The ignition coil wire will be re-located to the remote solenoid. Remove the battery terminal from your orig. cable and replace it with the ring-type terminal. This cable will go from the solenoid s B+ terminal to the remote solenoid, so ensure you have enough length. Install the cable and tighten the solenoid nuts. Re-install the starter.
Take the wires that went to the GM solenoid s B+ terminal and connect them to on of the larger posts on the solenoid. These wires are always hot , ignition circuit and battery cable. The other large post terminal goes to the cable which runs down to the starter. Which terminal you choose does not matter as currnet flows both ways.
Connect the wire which wnet to the S terminal (on the GM solenoid) to the S terminal on the remote unit. This wire is connected to the neutral safety switch and starting circuit. If you have points then the ignition coil + lead should go to the I terminal of the remote unit. If you have HEI or other electronic ignition, leave this terminal unconnected.
The installation is complete. If all went well then the car should start. If you had hard-to-start when hot problems, bring the car up to temp, shut it down and try to start. Hopefully, it should turn over and fire right up, no more cases of no start!
If you have any questions e-mail Mike