Wiring upgrades

[Knebel]

Hello all,

I am in the process of updating my battery terminals and big wires. I just put in a 1/0 ground wire to the engine and probably will do the same size wire to the starter. I have a later model mopar mini starter, anyone know how long the wire to the starter normally is and what size bolt is on the starter? I am also wondering if there is any benefit in replacing my 8Ga wire from alternator stud to Battery positive with the same 1/0 GA. Is that overkill for a 95Amp Alternator? Does it give me any benefits for the roughly $70 that wire will cost me? I get full alternator voltage on the battery but am not sure if the 8GA is enough for the current. I have to run 10 - 15 ft of this.

 

[Davea Lux]

Hello all,

I am in the process of updating my battery terminals and big wires. I just put in a 1/0 ground wire to the engine and probably will do the same size wire to the starter. I have a later model mopar mini starter, anyone know how long the wire to the starter normally is and what size bolt is on the starter? I am also wondering if there is any benefit in replacing my 8Ga wire from alternator stud to Battery positive with the same 1/0 GA. Is that overkill for a 95Amp Alternator? Does it give me any benefits for the roughly $70 that wire will cost me? I get full alternator voltage on the battery but am not sure if the 8GA is enough for the current. I have to run 10 - 15 ft of this.

1.0 wire is not worth the expense, run a second 8ga wire and even that is going to be overkill, run the second wire to the hot side of the starter solenoid from the alternator and call it good. The battery cable will pick it up from there. The mini starter will bolt on, which engine are you running? If you have a big block, you might be better off with an OEM starter, both use the same length cable, so you can order a cable that would fit the OEM application. If this is a stroker or some other hi performance application, use the OEM starter.

Dave

 

[cbarge]

Hello all,

I have a later model mopar mini starter, anyone know how long the wire to the starter normally is and what size bolt is on the starter? I am also wondering if there is any benefit in replacing my 8Ga wire from alternator stud to Battery positive with the same 1/0 GA. Is that overkill for a 95Amp

Length from the battery to the starter with a mini-starter add a couple inches.
Why?
The location of the mini-starter's terminals are different compared to O.E and much tighter to the engine block. You don't need the heavier wire going to the mini-starter.
It is more efficient compared to the old gear reduction starter.

Now the 95 amp alternator,I will double up the 8 ga wire.
From the battery stud at the alternator,run the wire to the battery stud at starter relay.At the relay use a 12 ga fusible link on this wire. This will eliminate any nuclear meltdowns on the ammeter side of the electrical system,and bypass the ammeter itself and reduce the load to it by 50%.
Hope this helps.

 

[Davea Lux]

Cbarge makes a good point, the second 8 ga wire should also have a fusible link. You would need to check the FSM for your vehicle to see if the current is routed thru the ammeter or not. Most meltdowns happen on those types of systems. The newer systems used a different routing with minimal amperage thru the ammeter. Fusible link is a good idea in any case.

Dave

 

[cbarge]

Cbarge makes a good point, the second 8 ga wire should also have a fusible link. You would need to check the FSM for your vehicle to see if the current is routed thru the ammeter or not. Most meltdowns happen on those types of systems. The newer systems used a different routing with minimal amperage thru the ammeter. Fusible link is a good idea in any case.

Dave

Up until the mid-late 70's ALL Mopars' ammeter feed were HOT at all times.
Ma knew this was a problem but waited for body style change to fix it.
I ALWAYS bypass the ammeter gauge....I learned that after two cars burned up on me.

 

[Knebel]

I think i didn't explain this right. I have a smallblock. The starter is already there and has been in the car for a year or so. The 8ga already runs from the alternator stud to a fuse to the battery positive. The battery positive of course has the wire to the starter (currently with wone of those screw/crimp crap terminals). I am looking to see what size terminal i need on the starter side..isit a 3/8 stud or 5/16 or??? And the lenght of it I roughly measured 7 or 8 ft. Does that sound right?

Then the question regarding the alternator wire was: do i just leave the 8GA fron alternator output to battery positive or do I gain anything by using a 1/0 wire? Maybe even a 4GA would be better?

 

[cbarge]

Wire from alternator is not supposed to go directly to battery--never and not from factory.
Make and model of your car,sir?
1/0 gauge wire from alternator is overkill.

 

[Knebel]

Wire from alternator is not supposed to go directly to battery--never and not from factory

Why is that?

 

[cbarge]

Why is that?

The way it is wired up now there is a risk of an electrical fire.
Also something tells me somebody has been in there before you and there is a reason why.
I need more details of your car..year make model.

 

[Knebel]

The way it is wired up now there is a risk of an electrical fire.
Also something tells me somebody has been in there before you and there is a reason why.
I need more details of your car..year make model.

There is risk of elecric fire with the alternator wired through a fuse and then to the battery? That also bypasses the ammeter... I dont understund!? Is it because the 8Ga wire is too small?

 

[cbarge]

Yes the ammeter has been bypassed based on what you said.
But not my preference I consider it not correct,IMHO> since it is also bypassing the starter relay.
I had rewired countless Mopars over the years.
"Normally" the feed at the battery stud on the STARTER RELAY which gets power from the battery feeds the rest of the car.The factory fusible link is on this wire either at the starter relay or right at the bulkhead.
From the starter relay battery stud,I add a jumper wire I mentioned before with a fusible link going to the alternator.
The 8 gauge wire is fine,I typically use 10 gauge with a 12 gauge fusible link at the starter relay.

FOR THE THIRD TIME...YEAR MAKE AND MODEL PLEASE!!!!!
Help me HELP YOU!!

 

[Knebel]

1968 Plymouth fury III

What feeds the rest of the car goes also steaight from the battery terminal through a circuit breaker into the car.

 

[cbarge]

1968 Plymouth fury III

What feeds the rest of the car goes also steaight from the battery terminal through a circuit breaker into the car.

Ok..so the bulkhead and starter relay has been bypassed as well then,correct??

 

[Knebel]

Ok..so the bulkhead has been bypassed as well then,correct??

Correct! I have done lots of rewiring on the car mainly because i was stupid years ago, trying to pull the dash out without disconnecting power (young and dumb didnt know that ammeter was HOT) you can imagine what followed haha.

 

[cbarge]

Did you connect your feed wire to the RED wire on the inside of the bulkhead??
There is another heavy red wire that feeds accessories hidden behind the left kick panel,too

 

[Knebel]

Did you connect your feed wire to the RED wire on the inside of the bulkhead??
There is another heavy red wire that feeds accessories hidden behind the left kick panel,too

I am not sure if I follow. Are you talking about the wire that normally goes through the bulkhead and then to the ammeter? That wire had completely burned up and I took it out and stripped a heavier ga wire through the firewall bypassing the bulkhead completely. I noticed some wired had been replaced already on my fuse box so idk what is going on there.

 

[cbarge]

I am not sure if I follow. Are you talking about the wire that normally goes through the bulkhead and then to the ammeter? That wire had completely burned up and I took it out and stripped a heavier ga wire through the firewall bypassing the bulkhead completely. I noticed some wired had been replaced already on my fuse box so idk what is going on there.

YES
Ok that is all good. as long as you have a fusible link on that curcuit.
with the 95 amp alternator,the heavier wire is necessary.

 

[Knebel]

Well, I just finished with my 1/0 wire install fro. Battery to starter and what can I say... 1.5v less drop in voltage while cranking and the engine spins fast like crazy. Good upgrade forthe 35$ that wire has cost me. I am probably gonna run something similar for a charging wire soo too!

One thing.. i measured and added an extra foot incase i didnt measurethe curves 100% correctly. Of course that was a foot too much lol

 

[live4theking]

Better than a foot short.