> As some of you may recall, I installed a modern gear reduction
> type starter
> a couple of month ago. I added a bypass wire to the internal/integrated
> solenoid on that unit and continued to use the cars original solenoid.
> Randall, I seem to (vaguely) recall a comment you made regarding the
> suitability of the original solenoid for this task (or did I dream that?).
Well, sort of. I was actually talking about the inadvisability (IMO) of not
retaining the original solenoid. The solenoid on the gear drive starter I
have draws a whole bunch more current than the original solenoid does (like
6 times more), and I'm not sure the original starter button (or contact in
the ignition switch for your TR4) will handle the current and inductive kick
reliably.
Although I didn't say so at the time, I think you've just demonstrated why I
rewired things so the original solenoid only carries the current for the new
solenoid, instead of the new solenoid and the new starter.
> Anyway... is it possible to just eliminate the old TR4 solenoid
> and utilize
> the integrated solenoid on the new starter?
You can try it certainly. One approach is to move the heavy wire from the
starter to the same terminal on the original solenoid as the battery, and
then run a separate, new wire from the solenoid on the starter to join with
the wire that was originally on the side terminal of the old solenoid. But
don't blame me if your ignition switch craps out next !
Another approach would be to add a cheap "foglight" relay in place of the
original solenoid, controlling only the current to the new solenoid. It may
not last very long either, but at least it's cheap and easy to replace.
Good luck
Randall
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