Wont start, running 2 solenoids
Turbo Mini Forums

Well where do I start lol. Just spent the last god knows how long reading the haynes only to get nowhere and give up anyway.

The car has allllwwwways run 2 solenoids like my other mini did (1984 mini 25th anni) and this I didn't see as a problem.
well i went to wire the seperate solonoid in and yada zilch nowt! Turns out all I had done wrong was put the two wires (main supply from the battery and the starter motor to solonoid) wires on the wrong sides. Switched them over and bingo dash lights once more! (permanant live from the battery goes on the terminal with all the other wire connectors).
Went to turn it over and click.... I though shit my brand new starter is sticking surely not.... Turns out its just clicking but nothing is happening! I believe the 2 solenoids are fighting against each other all the time and it won't engage.
So I though I'd try the theory out and bridge the two seperate starter terminals out on the seperate solenoid and yeyyyy! She turns over! Sweeeet! well it would be but i cant do this every time i want to start it!
Anyone any ideas?

Also it appears i now have no signs of a spark from the coil checked the coil (swopped it for another despite it being new) and still nothing swopped the condensor and nothing..... Condensor and wire going to the dizzy are wired to negative and positive runs from inside the car.... That's my second issue.

Im running pre engaged starter with the main battery lead leaving that to the seperate solenoid with all the wires ontop. ive quite obvioulsy cocked up somewhere i just cant work out where haha.
Someone please help

Hmm, really have no idea why you'd want two starter solenoids. But if you want to keep the remote solenoid to prevent messing with wiring too much then i understand. Youre best off putting the starter flying lead onto the battery side on the remote solenoid, then extend the switching feed to the pre engaged starter so youll be effectively bypassing the remote one. Hope that's of some use chap. :)

its centre binacle so presumably use to be verto and then been converted to pre...
For tidyness i might just take the whole secondary solenoid out.
Where do all the wires run too then?
Presumably the altenator wires go on the starter terminal along with the the other brown eyeletted wire however everything else im not sure? Would anyone happen to have a diagram of what goes where. haynes is useless!

Here you go chap

http://m154.photobucket.com/image/pre%20en...pg.html?src=www

Oh that's excellent! Thanks very much.

Off to the garage now see if I can get her to live
Thanks again

RIGHT.....
sacked off the remote seolenoid for the inertia starter, so imts all running through the pre engaged starter solenoid.

Wiring will be extended but can anyone see a problme running a intertia wiring loom streight to a per engaged type?

Also wired it all up and there are two thick brown wires coming from inside the cab, well one is on the starter as usual but the other one is doing nothing.
Its left hanging and as far as i can see doesent do anything for running? as the car is now running.... lol

Anyone help?

you only need one solenloid. Rod S has explained the conversion several times, have a search.

As Andy says, I've mentioned before, you shouldn't run the pre-engaged starter direct from the ignition switch.

It draws a lot more current than the wing mounted one for the inertia starter (because it has to move a mechanical linkage and a pinion about as well as the electrical contacts) so will overload the contacts inside your ignition switch.

The giveaway is the size of the Lucar tag on the pre-engaged solenoid, it is the 3/8" one not the usual 1/4" one.

Your ignition switch won't melt today, not tommorow, but it will eventually.

Leyland/Rover fitted an additional relay into the loom when they changed to pre-engaged (avoided uprating the ignition switch and avoided warranty claims for failed ones....).

The reason the wing mounted one was left by whoever did the modification is it is a common "cheat" to use the wing mounted solenoid as the relay (it also avoids re-routing the main battery cable).

Personally I have done what Leyland/Rover did and fitted an addition 40A relay wired with appropriate size cable.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

excellent, ye i did have a scan about and did read about that.
I have a wiring diagram on how to do that here so i shall investigate

Ive had the chance of a clubman later style twin clock wiring loom so i might get that. £50 sound ok? really not sure what wiring looms are worth lol seen as you cant buy a ''full'' loom from any suppliers in 1 piece