starter wiring help

Thanks drops,my solenoid on starter keeps smoking and burning , so I'm not sure weather ita over loaded, also the earth was not connected would the starter still start the car ? , another option is would putting the alternator wiring direct to the battery be a good idea to reduce the load or does it have to be on the starter for a reason ?

Which earth was not connected? I don't think any of my alternators have a separate earth - they all earth through the case as far as I know. If the engine earth was not connected, when you try to start the car it will try to earth through anything available, so you might find your throttle cable getting a bit warm as it's far too small.


As rich said, it goes via the starter to reduce how much large-section cable is required, but the logical circuit diagram (as opposed to the physical one) often shows both just terminating at the battery.

If photos of the connections aren't possible, could you describe the wire colours so someone could perhaps compare them to a wiring diagram in case that offers any clues? Presuming the wires are the proper colours, that is.

Hello sorry for the late reply to the post, right so basically the new starter was fitted and the solenoid burnt out and smoked, the wiring to the starter is as follows

Positive cable to the stud on the solenoid

On the same stud there is a wire going to the alternator

I then habe a single connector plug On the starter

I habe looked at one of the retaining bolts for the starter to see if it has a negative earth going to it but it doesn't but looking at the gear box there is a cable going from the negative battery to the chassis and then gearbox so I'm not sure but it could also be earthing the starter,


I'm really insure why the starter has burned out, it's was a RTX starter so unsure how good there cheap ones are all help is greatly appreciated just want to get it sorted

Take it from me, RTX are known as ‘rental starters’ because of the failure rate of them. I’ve had a few that are inop out of box, or manufactured wrong to start with. Get a decent reman unit, don’t mess around with Euro’s bargain basement brand. I will not fit them now unless it’s a car I can change it out in minutes. Weather it’s your issue, I don’t know. But I wouldn’t fit one to my own car unless it was a last resort.

I wouldn't fit another until you have made sure the wiring is correct, a starter motor shouldn't just burn out on it's own. Are you sure it didn't stay engaged?

The earth cable attached to the gearbox is for everything electrical attached to the engine.

Re reading this bit in your first post makes me think something isnt right: "the only place I thought it attached to is on the solenoid along with the positive cable from battery but it seems to be smoking and burning".

Thanks guys I can't seem to upload pictures does anyone one know how to upload them thanks guys sorry for the headache but just stressed out with this problem thanks again tho guys much appricated as always

Hello guys here's a few pictures, the earth on the gearbox, there there is the connector plug that goes on to the connector on the starter, then there is a wire off the alternator pictured that goes on to the solenoid along with a larger cable on the same terminal, the larger cable goes to the battery, these are all the wired that there are but it burnt out still

the earth square tab wire on the gearbox I didn't remove but I followed it from the negative battery terminal which then has another smaller wire coming off from it to the chassis and the larger one with square goes on to the gear box, the other square tabbed wire is the positive one from the battery to the starter motor solenoid which also carries a wire from the alternator on to it, I'm just surprised the starter doesn't have its own ground or if its been played about with before, also I'm thinking do I get a separate earth cable and connect to the battery going to the starter retaining bolt as it does have a threaded stud coming off it but all that's on it is a bracket which just holds in other wires I taken this off to see if any earth cable is hiding in there but theres nothing.

the smoke was coming from the starter and when this new RTX unit was on for 5 mins you could hear the motor winding down, I did remove it earlier and connected it to to a battery

negative lead to the starter body

positive lead to the solenoid stud

a small wire to the to black block on starter to the positive lead

but all that works is the sharft pulling out but starter not spinning and the motor smells burnt, the sharft only pulls out when the positive small wire is connected to the black block on starter,

when I bought the car it has a bosch unit and it was smoking then but I thought it was just old spilt oil being burnt off and drove it home 3 miles and had it running for a few days, but then it packed up and I got this new unit and it didn't last 5 mins, if the starter didn't have a earth cable would it still start ? thanks for all the help rich and rest of the fellow RR'S