"Long screwdriver" method for dead starter - mod idea (1 Viewer)

[kcjaz]

My starter is fine but I'm at 152K so I'm going to replace it. "While I'm in there" (words very close "hold my beer") I was thinking about adding as wire to power terminal between the starter motor and the solenoid. The same place where you would be trying to touch with the long screwdriver. Then run the new wire up into the engine bay somewhere and have a more easily accessible solenoid bypass terminal. Other than doing work and spending time on something to make a low probability event more convenient, anyone see anything wrong with this? I would cover the end of the new "terminal" as it would go hot every normal start.

 

[CharlieS]

My starter is fine but I'm at 152K so I'm going to replace it. "While I'm in there" (words very close "hold my beer") I was thinking about adding as wire to power terminal between the starter motor and the solenoid. The same place where you would be trying to touch with the long screwdriver. Then run the new wire up into the engine bay somewhere and have a more easily accessible solenoid bypass terminal. Other than doing work and spending time on something to make a low probability event more convenient, anyone see anything wrong with this? I would cover the end of the new "terminal" as it would go hot every normal start.

I don’t see anything wrong with it. Seems pretty clever.

I wonder how much of an edge case this is though. Clearly starter failure happens, since we read about it here pretty regularly, but if you’re replacing your starter now, odds are you won’t need your emergency start wire for many years, if ever. No real downside to it though, as long as you are the owner and the wire is well protected.

Side note, I had a camaro as a teen where the prior owner had done an engine swap, and must’ve not secured the wires well, or just used low quality parts (both highly likely and equally plausible, in retrospect). At one point, when I was out with a friend, the power wire to the starter must’ve worn through chafing, and when I tried to start my car I had a big puff of smoke and when I opened the hood, the positive cable had melted. We thought the engine had caught fire... Lots of amperage at play.

 

[kcjaz]

I don’t see anything wrong with it. Seems pretty clever.

I wonder how much of an edge case this is though. Clearly starter failure happens, since we read about it here pretty regularly, but if you’re replacing your starter now, odds are you won’t need your emergency start wire for many years, if ever. No real downside to it though, as long as you are the owner and the wire is well protected.

Side note, I had a camaro as a teen where the prior owner had done an engine swap, and must’ve not secured the wires well, or just used low quality parts (both highly likely and equally plausible, in retrospect). At one point, when I was out with a friend, the power wire to the starter must’ve worn through chafing, and when I tried to start my car I had a big puff of smoke and when I opened the hood, the positive cable had melted. We thought the engine had caught fire... Lots of amperage at play.

Yeah, I think that there's a 99% chance that I'd never use it. Also, there are multiple things that could go bad in the starter/solenoid. The long screw driver only works if its the contacts in the solenoid that send power to the starter motor fail. If the "plunger thingy" in the solenoid fails or the motor itself, your done. The jumper trick won't work.

On my own side note, I've seen a car being pushed out of a garage after a high amp short caught it on fire. Total loss. Saved the house though...

 

[1world1love]

Interesting idea and you will definitely need to think about the amps involved.

My question is how often/likely this actually happens. It would be nice to know the design specs (MTTF) and prevelance. I’m having a hard time finding anybody (competent) that will replace it as a maintenance item.

 

[40Man]

Interesting idea and you will definitely need to think about the amps involved.

My question is how often/likely this actually happens. It would be nice to know the design specs (MTTF) and prevelance. I’m having a hard time finding anybody (competent) that will replace it as a maintenance item.

Agreed it is hard to find someone. One mechanic argued with me that the intake manifold would need to be removed. After I told him he was referring to the 100 series and he refused to back down I quit using him. Thankfully my current mechanic is very good.

 

[CharlieS]

You can just use a high amperage solenoid. They’re not hard to find, not terribly expensive and readily available. You’re just creating a redundant starter circuit. It is a lot like what I use to link my dual batteries to start when the primary battery is dead.