I'm swapping an S5 JDM TII engine/tranny into a non-Mazda vehicle. Most everything is fitting up pretty well, but I'm running into trouble with the starter. More specifically, the giant honking solenoid hanging off the side of the starter is interfering with my frame rails.

Anyone know of other year/make/model starters that will work with the TII tranny, but don't have that goddawful solenoid?

Bueller? Anyone?
Cheers,
Bug

 

No.

Why don't you just run a remote solenoid?
Shouldn't be that hard to rig...


-Ted

 

+1


I was looking at this the other day actually. I have a good starter with a bad solenoid. Mazda solenoids are about as much as a complete starter. Ford remote solenoids can be had for a few dollars. Would be an easy project.

 

Hmmmmm. The solenoid housing seems to be cast as an integral unit with the starter housing. You're saying I can cut-off the existing solenoid and then wire into the starter body, right? This sounds promising, but I'm not a electrical guy, so I'm not entirely sure how I'd wire into the starter housing with a remote solenoid.

Seem too easy.... I.e., is it really possible to just cut the solenoid off?
-Bug

 

If anyone comes up with something, please document and take pictures! I'm a few months away from needing to do something similar...

 

As far as wiring there are only two wires. One is the power feed directly from the battery and the other is the solenoid trigger from the ignition switch. The wire that comes from the battery (12V+) goes to one side of the solenoid. The other side of the solenoid is the wire that runs to the starter motor. The trigger is the black spade terminal. To wire a remote solenoid you would locate the solenoid and run a power feed from the battery to one side. The other side would run to the starter (the short wire that currently runs from the starter motor to the stock solenoid). Splice the feed from the remote solenoid to that short wire. The stock trigger wire would then be lengthened and attached to the remote solenoid trigger post. Nothing to it really.

As far as the stock solenoid being cast in, it's not. There are two screws in the end that hold it to the started body.

 

Yep, else Summit Racing have (aftermarket) remote solenoid that you can wire in.
It's just a big honkin' relay that can handle the high current of the starter motor.

The solenoid should detach from the rest of the starter housing.
I've done that before.


-Ted

 

I may be way off here but doesn't the solenoid engage the starter drive to the flywheel? If you just ran power to the starter without a solenoid to engage it it will just spin the starter motor without turning the engine.

 

When I looked at it last, it was purely an electronic contact?
I think the function of the pinion shooting out is built into the starter motor itself?


-Ted

 

Turns out you're right. I just went out and tore one apart. The solenoid pulls on a lever arm that pushes the Bendix gear out to engage the flywheel. Soooo.... Never mind all this remote solenoid crap. Doesn't look like an option.

Other options that have been used (not sure how they'll work for you or where to find the parts) are top mount and reverse mount starters. The Cosmos used a starter that sits against the engine facing 180* of what the RX-7 starter does. Many older race setups used a top mount starter.

 

The GSL-SE automatic starters are offset and give added clearance, you might check into them to see if they will do you any good.

 

What about a starter from another car with adapted to fit?