Pin #5 is the front one. I use a 12 Awg insulated wire.

 

So this interim fix minimized my starting issues, but didn't fully resolve it. It failed to start today, in which I was able to override it with my alarm remote starter. I'll order a new ignition switch now

 

Good job showing the switch movement with your video a couple weeks ago! Interesting that you still needed to replace the switch in the end. End ?

 

Don't get me wrong, Ted's fix still minimized the issue. There were times I drove the car after the fix, anticipating it would have failed starting but it cranked up. Today, it was probably just sitting out in the heat much longer than usual. Hopefully a new starter switch fixes it. Now that I know my alarm remote starter will start it anytime, it's not so bad, but starting issues are always a pain, and I'm ready to resolve it this year.

 

Yes, good posting on your part, I appreciate it. It might be that if you put in a new switch and have it zip-tied right from day 1, it might last longer. With switch contacts, things like contact pressure and contact wiping motion are important for long life, and when the switch body starts moving around it could be that those things are reduced.

 

Do they make precut "jumper wires"? Or do we just use bare, cut wire? Any particular ends need to be crimped on it? Forgive the stupid questions. I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing. Don't want to blow up my car.

Also, with the recent heat wave in the Southwest, this issue has been getting worse. I've already ziptied the switch in the steering column. When the issue occurs, I hear a single click when I turn the key to start the car and another click when I release the key. This happens every single time until the car either starts on its own or I get fed up and push start it.

Does the mean that my problem is no longer the switch? If so, should I replace the starter or starter solenoid?

 

If you jump it with a wire and it starts every time then that means there isn't enough current to turn the starter over. Ted posted something about upgrading to a heavy duty relay I think post #148. It's just a regular wire. Same one people use to wire up houses. Insulated.

 

For automotive use (12 volt DC system) in the cabin (not the engine bay) you would normally use "primary" wire like this Dorman brand stuff at Autozone.
http://www.autozone.com/miscellaneou...?checkfit=true

This is stranded wire, 12 gauge. I actually made mine from 14 gauge which is a little smaller and it works fine, but 12 gauge is more technically correct for the amount of current here which is going to be 20 to 30 amps, for only a few seconds at a time.
If this was in the engine bay you would want actual engine bay wire which would have an ID like "GXL" and then the gauge number. But you don't need that in the cabin.
I can't say what connectors to use on the ends because my car is not an evo, so don't know what you have there. But I did use crimp connectors on the ends, and heat shrink tubing for some strain relief where the wire goes into the crimp.
Mine is in my car and my car is at English Racing so I can't get a picture of it sorry LOL!

If you are going to crimp, then your next problem will be what to buy for a crimping tool. There are a lot of crappy ones out there but a really nice one is the Channellock 909, like this - Aw for some reason my link to an Amazon page is being replaced by a link to an ebay page. But on Amazon the page title is "Channellock 909 Crimping Tool with Cutter" and it's about $20, ships from and sold by Amazon.

 

So I went to install the HD relay this weekend, and when I pulled apart the stock relay box, I was presented with two blk/red wires under pin #5. Pic below.

Which one do I cut and splice into?

 

Obviously, the presence of two wires in that location indicates a change from the earlier model. If you have a pdf copy of the service manual for your car, you should locate the diagram for the starter circuit and post it so we can see the reason for two wires.

 

The Service manual that I have (for 2006 models) shows the following. Hopefully it helps, but I'm pretty sure it's the same thing everyone else has access to.

Thanks for the help!

 

According to the diagram, those two wires are redundant. I recommend cutting both, and keeping them tied together at each end.

 

So to splice in the new HD relay, I'd cut both wires and solder both wires to their respective ends on the new relay?

So both wires on the pin #5 side (to the left in my pic) to wire 85 on the new relay? And both wires on the other side (to the right in my pic) to wire 87 on the new relay?

 

Correct.

 

A few times now I've turned the key to start and nothing so I ordered a switch today.