Adding a Start Button - Where's the Starter Relay?

[dennyt]

'94 Loyale 5spd.

 

I know this is a really basic question, but neither of the manuals I have show the starter relay, and I didn't find it after a few minutes of looking under the hood.

 

I want to add a start button because:

• I turn my car off at long stop lights
  
• Starting it with the key turns the stereo off, and it takes 4-5 seconds for it to come back to life, which really annoys the GF
  
• It would also be cool to bypass the clutch interlock
  

 

So, can anybody point me to the starter relay?

 

Thanks!

[john in KY]

Won't it just be easier to hotwire the radio?

[987687]

There's a good reason it turns off the radio, and I'd leave it to work the way it's designed.

 

The reason it turns off the radio is because when cranking the starter uses tons of amps. And it doesn't use the power evenly, in spikes up and down every time the starter has to compress a piston. This causes a very unstable electrical system while the engine is cranking, so leaving the radio on while cranking the can damage it.

Also, the lighter plug is turned off while cranking for the same reason, whatever you have plugged into it can be damaged by the unstable power it gets.

 

The ECU is obviously designed to tolerate the engine cranking, but everything else is turned off for protection.

 

To avoid causing electrical problems by fixing something that's not broken, leave it alone.

 

 

Also, a note on the clutch thing. There's really no reason to start your car in gear... Even starting with the transmission in neutral and the clutch engaged puts more load on the starter because it has to turn the engine AND the transmission. That little bit extra wear on the starter over time could very well wear it out a lot quicker.

Edited December 13, 2010 by 987687

[murph]

why are you turning your car off at long lights ? do you overheat / get hot ? you should be able to sit at a light and idle for a good long light , no problems . try to fix the "real" problem , try not to create new ones .

[987687]

Why not turn the car off at long lights? I do. I turn my car off at lights, drive through at the bank when I know I'll have to wait a while, etc.

It saves the engine, gas, the environment.

There's nothing wrong with my car, but I still shut it off when I'm going to have to wait a while.

I'm quite often stuck in down hill stop-and-go traffic. So I'll shut it off there too.

[XCSP700]

You're gonna cook the starter doing this. its a Subaru, not a ups van.

 

You're girlfriend will be way more pissed when the car won't start at a green light because you needed to save $.02

[987687]

I have like 3 spare starters in my garage, and one in my trunk. Whatever

[dennyt]

987687 has it right, I'm doing this for the fuel economy. Adding and using a kill switch got me a pretty big gain in MPG, I installed it just to the right of the red bar here:

 

My average went up from 26 to 31, and I average 17k per year. At $3/gallon, that's a savings of $316/year, (3 starters per year to break even?). I'd say at least half of that is from using the kill switch to coast down hills and to avoid idling at stoplights. I try to bump start it as much as possible, but there are a few unavoidable red lights on my commute.

 

I took a look at the starter solenoid contacts when I did the timing belts, and it looks pretty good after 50k.

 

Thanks for all of your 'constructive' input I realize I'm coming at this from a different angle than most.

 

So, perhaps a backup power supply for the stereo is in order... a battery pack with a diode?

[987687]

And so what if you do burn out your contacts? Last time I bought a set was for an EJ starter, but they're almost the same. And I think I spent $7 at the dealer or something. And on my GL I can have a starter out, replace the contacts, and back in again in less than an hour.