Need electrical help!

mike, does the solenoid have one or two small wires to activate it? the one marked "S" would be the one to trace down. try jumping from that small terminal to the battery...if it works then the issue is in that wire somewhere! if it doesn't...then the issue is between the solenoid and the battery Wink

JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION

OK Johnny, i just got back under the hood. 3 wire solenoid. 2 large 1/2" bolts across contact and a single coil wire going to a terminal marked S. I unplugged coil wire, ignition off. I then took my jumper cables and went straight from the positive post of the battery to the "s" coil post. The coil clicked but motor did not turn over. I then moved solenoid end of jumper cable to the starter side of contact and motor rolls as it should. So are you saying the problem is between the battery and solenoid? the only thing between battery and solenoid is a short cable maybe 18" long with an eye bolted to solenoid and a battery post clamp on the other. I know that is logical because i know the coil is good. But i just can get my mind around a short piece of stranded copper wire suddenly just going bad. And yes. post connection is clean. :)

Mike Yeager
1972 Gran Torino 4dr
1972 GTS sport roof
'13 Toyota Tundra TRD

Could the solenoid be mounted "bass-ackwards", it should be wired/installed like this(I realize this is a four terminal solenoid). Just a thought since, if you run a wire directly between the battery and the "S" terminal the started should engage and rotate engine, as you described above this isn't the case. Just trying to help and/or figure this out.

Edited by aquartlow - 29-October-2016 at 9:50AM

www.supermotors.net/22468
Yeah, It's a Hybrid...It burns gas and tires.

No matter how good she looks, somebody, somewhere, is tired of her sh*t.

Beauty is skin deep, ugliness goes clear to the bone.

does the short cable have a stamped metal jug terminal on the solenoid end?

if it does, tear it apart & have a look at what's inside

72 GT Ute

Yep. Pic is correct. The jumper to s engages coil , just no power flow through coil. I will replace cable from battery If my current thinking is right, that is the culprit.

Mike Yeager
1972 Gran Torino 4dr
1972 GTS sport roof
'13 Toyota Tundra TRD

Johnny nailed it. Im not sure why or how. But the cable from positive post of battery to fender mount coil is bad. Replaced that and she fires right up. I have not cut into the cable yet but there are no signs of a short or damage. I just do not get it. Oh well.. live and learn. I know know alot more about the starting circuit of an old ford Big smile

Mike Yeager
1972 Gran Torino 4dr
1972 GTS sport roof
'13 Toyota Tundra TRD

actually, the cable between solenoid and starter was one of the first thing i replaced. The insulation on that cable was badly cracked and i thought it might be arcing to ground when cranking. Now on to the other little things to make her perfect. :)

Mike Yeager
1972 Gran Torino 4dr
1972 GTS sport roof
'13 Toyota Tundra TRD

Good to know. Like I keep telling guys. Our cars have wiring 40-45 years old now. You would be amazed to see what oxidation and corrosion can do to some of the cables.

Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod
Pondering: #99Problems

I agree Unc. But in this case it was a brand new battery and one of the first things i did was replace both cable clamps because they were beat up some and the bolt had pulled the soft metal enough it was hard to get em tight. So those connections were as clean as a babys butt. :)

It really was just the cable between the battery and solenoid. 45yr old wiring. lol

Mike Yeager
1972 Gran Torino 4dr
1972 GTS sport roof
'13 Toyota Tundra TRD