Q about possitive wire to the starter

[Silver99camry]

Hi,

I was working on my starter and a question popped up in my mind. I see a positive battery wire connected to the starter with no visible fuse. What would happen if there is a short in the starter? Let's say a solenoid insulator falls apart and positive wire hits the starter case. I see no fuse to protect this circuit. Am I missing something?

Thanks

[Kep]

I believe that you are looking for the "fusable link" at the pos terminal of the battery. Look at the clump at the side of the battery where the pos terminal is.

Kep

[Silver99camry]

Really? I still have original Toyota positive terminal. You are saying there is a fuse hidde inside? Can anyone else please confirm this? I am going to take mine apart tomorrow to check.
Thanks

[Silver99camry]

just to make sure. I am talking about the case when there is a short in the starter and fat starter wire gets shorted to the ground. What will protect the battery?
Thanks

[Qslim]

No, there is definitely nothing between the battery and the starter. The fusible link is between the battery and the ig switch and the battery and the starter relay. You would need a big ass fuse, or more appropriately, a big ass circuit breaker if you wanted to protect that wire... The starter can draw up to 200 amps while cranking.

[Silver99camry]

Yep,
That's what the service department told me today. So, what would happen if there is a short somewhere in the starter circuit?

Thanks

[Qslim]

Originally Posted by Silver99camry

Yep,
That's what the service department told me today. So, what would happen if there is a short somewhere in the starter circuit?

Thanks

A fantastic shower of sparks and a melted something or other. I had a customer one time whose main starter wire grounded out on the manifold, and it melted a hole through the heat shield.

[Kep]

Oops, my bad.

Here's the schematic for a 5SFE starter, wired straight to the battery: