Thread: minimum wiring to start...

I'm just about ready to check an engine (2 1/4 petrol) that's been sitting idle for a year or two - I've popped a teaspoon of oil into each piston + poured some oil over the tappets etc and hand cranked it a couple of times to get the oil moving, it also has a refurbished distributor and carby in place and the fuel pump has had a good clean - my actual question is what wiring do I need? I was thinking I need a cable that runs from the battery to the coil (and earth both the coil and battery of course), plus, if I want to use the starter motor a thicker bit of cable from that to the battery that I can just touch to the positive terminal to turn the engine over - once its started (hopeful I know!) I then disconnect the starter motor wire... is that about it?

NB there is no wiring loom at all in place at the moment, plus no alternator attached.

I would just point out that using a jumper lead onto a battery as a starter switch is a definite safety hazard. It is markedly safer to make the connection at the starter end or better on a length of starter lead clear of earthed metal, or even, for preference, use a starter switch such as the one out of a Series 1/2/early 2a.

There is a real risk of a battery explosion when you make sparks at the battery.

John