Starter wiring? Distributor?

[shaggy591a Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy591a]

My clubman and cooper have different wiring for the starter and distributor. It is confusing me and I am wondering if anyone can help. The clubman was using a non pre-engaged and the cooper has a pre-engaged. Cooper has 65 DM4 dizzy.

Clubman starter wiring box


Clubman Distributor connection is the connection below the alternator in the pic. Instead of being on the dizzy it is on the body on the car. Thinking it is a 59 DM4 Dizzy.


Cooper wiring harness

[shaggy591a Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy591a]

How can I make this work?

[Dixminion Dixminion Find all posts View Profile Close Dixminion]

Ahh...A tale of two solenoids.

You have a solenoid on the inner fender of the Clubman that needs to go away (I'll take it) and one on the '91 starter that you need to use.

The '91 motor will need a large wire from the battery and some brown wires (from the alternator and to the fuse block) connected to the large stud on the solenoid.

The ignition switch "start" position wire (has a white jacket with a red tracer perhaps) connects to a small terminal on the solenoid. You know which terminal because you made a sketch of the connections, right?

The '91 probably has a second small terminal on the solenoid with a white/yellow wire. That's the ballast resistor by-pass. I don't think the Clubby had a ballast resistor so that terminal can remain vacant.

IF the Clubman starter will drive the '91 you could keep the inner fender solenoid and use the early starter.

Don

[shaggy591a Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy591a]

Will I be able to use a inertia drive starter in place of the pre-engaged starter? I know how it all connects on the 91 mini but have no idea how to connect the clubman as I didn't take it apart. I think I found the alternator cables on the inner fender solenoid. What is a start position wire?

[Dixminion Dixminion Find all posts View Profile Close Dixminion]

I have no idea if an early starter will fit your '91. Someone else will have to chime in.
Start position wire: The ignition switch has 3 maybe 4 positions. Off, on, and start. The maybe is the accessory position. When you turn the key to "start" voltage is delivered to the magnetic coil in the solenoid via that small white/red wire. This closes a HUGE set of contacts in the solenoid to deliver voltage to the starterererer.

Don

[shaggy591a Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy591a]

Ok well the wiring was never taken out so I will assume it is all there. I will be able to try to get the car started tomorrow when I get the kenelow fan mounted to the radiator after the mail comes. I can see if the other starter will fit in the mean time unless someone knows something I can do. I can also get better pics too.

[James T Minis are so cool! Find all posts View Profile Close James T]

Both starters will fit..and in a pinch ..you can swap them between A and A+ engines..BUT>>It's not the best for the starter gear or the ring gear and will most likely be very loud when cranking the engine. Why? Because the two starters and made to engage the flywheel from opposite sides. I have installed a late starter on an early engine before but not the other way.

[Cheleker S'Mokin' Find all posts View Profile Close Cheleker]

As James says, "in a pinch." I would not recommend swapping starters; especially, an early starter into a late car. Like my suggestions for reconditioning your cylinder head, everything is apart; you're not stuck by the side of the road; take your time and do it correctly.

[shaggy591a Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy591a]

How can I hook up the other solenoid on the inner fender to the late model starter? Should I move the alternator wires to the starter? Is there anything else I will need to move? Will I need to run new wires, if so what ones?

[James T Minis are so cool! Find all posts View Profile Close James T]

You dont...you need to change the wiring to connect to the new style solenoid. Sounds like you need to take a step back....ok take another step back.....sit down with your Haynes manual and figure out what wires need to go where. When you are more comfortabe with what you are looking at. Then go back to the car...identify the wires that are there. Then alter the wiring to go where you need it to for the new style.

[shaggy591a Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy591a]

I was looking at the wiring diagrams all day today in the early mini haynes and the MG metro haynes manuals that I have. Well I think I got the starter figured out. I took all the wires off the solenoid for the clubman and looked at all the starter wires for the cooper and they are the same. The alternator wires on the cooper goes to the starter and it is the same for the clubman. There is a wire on the clubman that was zip tied up and it matches the one on the cooper. That one will need a new fitting to go on the starter. But thanks all for the help. Glad the wiring harness was never changed or that no one went happy with red wires. The wire to the battery is also long enough to go to the starter so I won't have to run any wires there.

cooper harness


clubman harness

[Cheleker S'Mokin' Find all posts View Profile Close Cheleker]

There are no wires from the alternator to the starter. You mean the starter solenoid, I assume.

[shaggy591a Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy591a]

There are no wires from the alternator to the starter. You mean the starter solenoid, I assume.

Well yeah, what you said.