IMI Performance 12volt starter wiring

[Jzntnr]

Hello there! It's been years since I've been on the Team Buick forums so long that I had to make a new profile. Anyways, I have a wiring question that I can't find an answer to so I'm hoping somebody can help me out. I have a 50 Buick Special that I'm converting to a 12 volt. I purchased one of the IMI Performance starters from Bobs Automobilia. Now I know that the battery hooks to the big lug and what I've read is the black wire goes to the starter. The question is on my new starter there are two wires that hook to the same spot on the solenoid. The black one that I've read about that's marked S and a red one that is marked R. The red wire has something spliced into it with heat shrink over it. Anybody have any idea what the red wire goes to?

[telriv]

For a 6 volt car the points DO NOT need a resistor wire as the voltage is not too much to burn the points or shorten their life expectancy. Whereas 12 volts requires a resistor wire to cut down on the running voltage to the points via the ignition coil. The Red wire has a one way diode in it that allows voltage to ONLY go one way. When you turn the key to the start position it allows a FULL 12 volts to go to the ignition coil + side for easier cold starts. This is just for a MOMENT while cranking the engine over, NOT for running. So you need to do one of two things. Install a resistor if using points or a full 12 volts if converting to electronic ignition, which would be the preferred way of doing it, but you still need the red wire hooked up in either case.
Hope I've explained it well enough.


Tom T.

[Jzntnr]

This does help explain the red wire. I'm running a DUI distributor and a push button start. The instructions for the distributor say to hook it directly to the keyed ignition. In other posts about the IMI starter they say to hook the black wire to the push button which makes sense but there is no mention about the red wire.

[telriv]

Well, in that case you DON'T need the Red wire hooked up. You hook-up the ignition switch so there is power to the coil with the key in the run position. And the black wire as mentioned.