porsha944

Hi guys,

I assume this is the starter motor on my 84 944, there is one connection thats not got any wires on it (bottom one) should there be ? thing wont start I bought it like that but push starts no probs I posted before and was directed to the starter solenoid/starter/connections.

If someone would be kind enough to clarify the connections are ok.

Yabo

Is the bottom nut, that has the metal coming out of it, it sh ould be attached to that wire coming from the starter, that looks like its wrapped in something white/silver... it would be soldered to that metal piece, or crimped to it I believe.

Yabo

Here, i circled where it should be connected...

Rip It

If u are missing that metal strip, beware, besure to check that your starter motor is not shorted. The top large wire should be connected to the battery, always 12vdc. The small wire should have 12 vdc when the key is in the start position. I would be concerned if you are missing the metal strip, it may have burned like a fuse.

KuHL 951

That's the ground connection between the starter and solenoid. They can get real brittle from corrosion and can break off from the soldered tab. Resoldering it isn't easy without a microtorch because it's so short, dirty, and can't be taken off at the starter body side. Even then you need to be careful keeping the heat away from the plastic ends of the solenoid. You will have more room to work if you have the small body type starter, the large body is very close.

Yabo

Are you sure it's the ground? honestly, it's been a while since I've been down there.. but I thought the starter got it's ground from it's mounting face.. where does the power go from the solonoid to the starter then? Top bolt is wire from battery, small nut is the ignition wire... I could've sworn I jumped it by connecting the two large nuts. very possible i'm wrong.. just curious.

KuHL 951

I has to be a ground. Hot cables are seldom left bare and the connection to the starter case would short out if it was 12V+.

Yabo

I was thinking the same, since on mine it wasn't even wrapped... BUT, the only reason I have to doubt that is, it is connected to a pole on the solonoid , there would be no reason really to do so if it were a ground, and, have you disassembled the starter? It is crimped to a copper connector that goes to the coil in the starter. i don't recall seeing any other wire connected, honestly. My wire (the one we are referring to) broke from it's crimp inside the case. BTW that is a rubber grommit ti goes through, into the case, which would probably not be enough to shield the kind of power goign to the starter.. but hey, that's my .02.

Rip It

somebody get a class C fire extinguisher ready!!!!

KuHL 951

You are right. I forgot if there's a rubber grommet or not at the starter, there has you be some type of insulator. Leaving a bare hot wire sure seems stupid. Heat shrink would have been beter than that loose wrap that comes even on a rebuilt starter. Sorry about the confusion, I need more coffee!

porsha944

Hi guys,

Thanks a bunch for the replys and piccys, heres a close up pic. Theres 3 connections and one bare (bottom) one is to the battery, one goes from the starter to solenoid (the dodgy wrapped one), and one other small one at the top. There's no other wires to connect to the bottom starter connection maybe the pic can shed some light:

GMS

That's how all 944 starters look. The insulation covers fall off. If you want to, get some new covers, clean all the oil and debris off and you will be fine.

testarossa_td

Cleaning the area would go a long way to making this a more pleasant experience....looks like you are on the right track.

89magic98

He shouldn't have the constant +12v from the starter connected to the same post as the connection from the solenoid to the starter - oh, and with the closeup, now I can see that you don't have that problem.

The starter gets its ground from being bolted to the engine. The engine is grounded through the negative cable bolted to the bellhousing.

Charlotte944

The broken wire is the +12 volt feed to the starter motor.

When the solenoid engages an internal shorting bar bridges the incoming +12 volts (the large connection at the top of your picture) to the large terminal at the bottom of your picture. At the same time the solenoid engages it pushes the starter drive gear forward to mesh with the starter ring gear, and the engine turns over.