Sr441x starter contd.

[Frederich]

I have a resistor wire. The old sr995 starter was connected to coil ( + ) by wire from 12 oclock on solenoid. I have eliminated this on sr441x and only have ignition wire to solenoid at 6 oclock.
I think my friend was saying that in cold conditions the relay would provide extra volts only at ignition - the relays job.
Are you saying this is not needed ? I’m not trying to complicate just understand.
Thanks, for your imput.

[Robert Bondi]

FWIW, I worked through some issues with the SR441x a couple years ago. Biggest gotcha was leaving that one wire disconnected since I didn't realize it was a non-stock starter from the previous owner....

https://www.firstfives.org/phpBB-3.2.1/ ... php?t=5884

[HB528i]

I have a resistor wire. The old sr995 starter was connected to coil ( + ) by wire from 12 oclock on solenoid. I have eliminated this on sr441x and only have ignition wire to solenoid at 6 oclock.
I think my friend was saying that in cold conditions the relay would provide extra volts only at ignition - the relays job.
Are you saying this is not needed ? I’m not trying to complicate just understand.
Thanks, for your imput.

Correct, I am saying you will never need a relay with the 441x starter, it has lots of power, don’t add more wires to your engine bay. And again, make sure that old wire from the 12:00 terminal to the coil is removed entirely or you will have a hot wire that can short out. I think you have done the right thing with the added ballast as the red coil needs 1.8 ohms of resistance to provide 9 volts to the distributor. Now it’s time to check points and timing to get it running nicely.

[Frederich]

Thanks all for the help. I’m confused about it being good idea for using the added ballast - I don’t know that I’m using ballast , am I ?
? I was going to use 4 prong relay and I thought you said that it was definitely not needed w/ the sr441x.
The relay was going to provide the 1.8 ohms of resistance that the red coil needs to provide 9 volts to distributor as it was to be connected at ignition - 6 oclock position starter. That way the relay switches on only when ignition on.

[HB528i]

A relay isn’t going to provide resistance, forget the relay. If you had used a relay it would have been to power the starter, not the coil. Your green wire at the coil brings power from the ignition switch. In your car resistance is provided by the resistor wire which is hidden in the harness and is part of your green wire. Earlier BMWs used a ceramic ballast resistor mounted next to the coil for 0.9 ohms needed with the black coil. A ceramic external resistor can be added if needed to have a total of 1.8 ohms for your red coil.

[Mike W.]

You should have power going to the coil with the ignition on. Really that's all you need. If you want to replicate the old starter, you would want a full 12 V going to the coil, ONLY WHILE CRANKING! Not once it's started, not switched with the ignition, not when the engine is cold, only while cranking.