Starting System: Description and Operation

The starting system consists of the:
^ starter motor
^ starter switch (part of the ignition switch)
^ starter solenoid
^ starter drive
^ starter motor solenoid relay switch
^ transmission range sensor
^ battery

The function of the starting system is to crank the engine at a speed fast enough to permit the engine to start. The starter motor is a wire wound motor that engages the engine flywheel and cranks the engine through an over-running clutch starter drive. The starter is electrically initiated through an integral starter solenoid. When the ignition switch is placed in the start position, battery voltage flows through a fused transmission range sensor and through a fused starter relay to ground. The starter relay then closes allowing battery voltage to flow to the starter solenoid, initiating the starter motor. The transmission range sensor is a safety device that allows the vehicle to start only in park or neutral.