keith55

I have a 1991 f150 , 351. I was having starting problems though the switch and decided to change the solenoid. I took it off and dint replace it for several days. Ok I didnt mark the wires and cant remember what goes where. Can anyone help me with this ? I thought I had them right but switch does nothing and the healights wont even work.
thanks

double_edge2

im no expert, and please dont take this a sarcastic, but you have four wires yes?

two big and two little wires

check..
the big ones, one comes from the battery to the solenoid, the other big one goes from the solenoid to the clapper starter motor yes?

the little ones, one would come from the ignition to the smaller posts?, and the from the other small post to ground? or two from the ignition?

just check visually you got the big wire from battery to clapper...through the solenoid,,,,
then check with a light you got power from the ignition to the solenoid.

if you have charge in the battery? and knowing me....i woulda forgot to re connect the battery so check that too

thats how i would go about it ,,,,then id buy bourbon for someone else to look at it.....lol.


if no one else helps i will take a picture of mine for you, it might be the same or help. be a few days befor i get to the shed again though.

keith55

I think I have the wire from the battery and the wire that goes to the starter, then I have the snall ignition wire and 2 yellow wies and a green fused link wire. And not a bad idea about the bourbon

double_edge2

yellow is from or to ignition?

circuit 1:::small wire side
fused power will need to run from the batt, through ignition start/crank position, to activate solenoid through to gnd on the little posts...

it might come from the ignition live (upon start position) to the solenoid then to ground or to neg via fuse, from the solenoid (small posts)

(in actual fact, conventional current theory, pos to neg.....power actually runs from neg to pos) so it might make sense the fuse from neg to solenoid small post 1,then small post 2 to ignition(start position), to pos under dash or return to batt pos.

i hate cars

(2 separate circuits)
this then activates the big contacts to handle the high current for the clapper. im guessing in a momentary function for the solenoid.

if you have two batteries wired for whatever or as backup, is the switch in the right position?

the lights not working could be a flat battery or switched second battery.
or the wrong solenoid?

see where the wires go to or from,
the ignition wire is it to gnd or from pos (is it live in the key start position)

use a test light or multi meter to test the reaction from the ign key position from the wire you think is coming from the ign, test light from it to gnd, turn key, see if lit,,,,,, if not,,,test light from it to pos, turn key and see if lit,,,,if one gives you a light hook it up and complete the wiring..

i dont know what the others are for apart from completing the circuit run to batt or gnd.

about now id be looking for a bottle shop....lol

Just call me Sean

iTrader: (1)

The battery cable and all fusible links go to one side of the solenoid, doesn't matter which side. The starter lead goes to the other side. The start wire goes to the smaller "S" terminal.

double_edge2

see! now give him bourbon

1987 F-150 XLT 4x4

I agree with the others.

Here's my 2-cents worth for the Solenoid or Starter Relay bolted to the fender.

1) One large cable leaves the solenoid (firewall side) and goes to the starter.

2) The small Red wire that is pushed-on goes on the small stud on the solenoid,
it's the ignition wire.

3) All other wires including the large gauge positive battery cable is attached to the other side of the solenoid.

I used to have 8-10 wires attached where the Positive Battery Cable is attached, there were so many 12V wires, I had to remove most of them and attach two 2 AWG Positive Battery Cables together.
I connected all of my extra wires with the bolt & nut through the eye-lets where the two 2-gauge positive battery cables are put together. It's not pretty, but it works fine.

The reason I had to remove the extra wires from the solenoid post was the threads kept loosening up and I finally stripped the post out on a new solenoid.
(My extra wires are for different accessories that are installed on my truck)

See picture

FYI - A Relay or (Solenoid as we call the thing on the fender) is simply a coil-operated switch that turns on when electrically energized.

keith55

Thanks for all the posts especially the pictures. Im going to give it a try this morning. Maybe next time I will mark my wires instead of depending on my bad memory. Thanks again

Scrumdown

I know I am resurrecting an old thread, but I just changed my solenoid and starter cable today. I'd like tell you all what I just went through.

After I removing the cable because it was rusted just about through. As I was removing the solenoid nuts, because i wanted to clean all the contacts. Both stud snapped. UGH! Up to the auto parts store I go. $24 and half an hour later, I install the new solenoid. It starts but the starter motor will not release. UGH! Turn car off. Unplug battery and smack starter motor. Replugged battery. It starts and releases, but now it "diesels out". UGH!

I let everything sit for a 1/2 hour while I work on other tasks. I go & try to start it. The truck won't start. No lights. Nothing. UGH! OK, unhook battery and test with Volt-mete. It says 12.25/50 volts. That's good. Let me go and get the new solenoid I just bought replaced. Maybe it is bad. 1/2 hr later new solenoid is replaced. It starts but the starter motor will not release again. UGH!

Unhook all and smack started motor. I hook every thing back up. Starts and now releases the start motor. and now it "diesels out" again. UGH! OK ... What to do? Let me go get the battery tested, for grins and giggles. 45minutes and a new $120 battery later. All is well.

So just so we all member ... Sometimes, what seems like a part we just replaced is bad. Occasionally, it something else all together.

RocketMedic

I'm actually having the exact same problem- what do you mean by 'starter would not release'? Do you mean that it would not turn off when the engine started? That's what mine is doing. I had to disconnect the battery to turn off the starter.

I'm going to change the starter, solenoid, ignition switch, and starter cable tomorrow.

What was wrong with yours?