Starter Solenoid Issue.

Starter Solenoid Issue.
D

dedeye

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Location
Pittston, Maine
Vehicle(s)
1983 cj7
O.K. guys, I'm new to this forum but already feel good enough to ask.
I bought a 1983 CJ7 that had the factory plow wiring harness under the hood. I didn't buy the plow with it and the guy that did buy the plow did a hack job on the harness removing the electric/hydro pump off the p/s fender.
I have replace the underhood harness but can not get the thing to crank over. I have normal function from switch to solenoid . when in crank position I get 12 volts to "s" terminal of solenoid and I get power to the coil. However the solenoid does not activate the starter. I bought a replacement solenoid for the truck and it has the same 3rd small post on the back as the one on the truck that has no wire connected to it. My question after all this is, where does this wire connect to the truck and is it relevant? I have tried several solenoids and know the original was working fine before the attack.
Thanks guys.
Dan
 
solenoid.jpg
The starter solenoid should have 2 smaller wires on it (not counting the big cables)
The wire marked S should have 12 volts when you turn the key to start.
The wire marked I should have 12 volts when you have the key at run.
 
Busa, It has the 2 small terminals as shown in your pic and a third one on the backside of the solenoid.
With the key on If I run a jumper wire from the terminal on the rear of the solenoid to the starter wire side the starter will crank but the solenoid clicks repeatedly. I have a wire that was laying on the fender that has the end that plugs onto the rear terminal but the other end was cut off so I don't know where it is supposed to connect. I was thinking it went to the plow pump but I don't know.
 
Do you have the solenoid grounded/bolted to the fender? I brain farted while I was painting mine and tried to move it with the harness hanging; no crank. Spent a couple minutes before I realized the solenoid wasn't grounded.

The repeated clicking is the solenoid not staying closed. Low/loss of voltage is usually the case. Just got figure out the cause.
 
Id hook the voltmeter up and watch both the "crank" wire while in the crank position and see if it holds steady at battery voltage.

Then check for a voltage drop from the bat. down to the starter while trying to crank.
 
"The starter solenoid should have 2 smaller wires on it (not counting the big cables)"

Read more: http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f7/starter-solenoid-issue-12935/#ixzz1mvlpNynb

BusaDave9, the solenoid I have has a third small terminal exiting at the rear of the solenoid. This terminal is not threaded as the two on the front are. I found a wire laying on the jack that has the correct end to plug onto the rear terminal but it has only one end on it so I have no idea where this wire goes or what it's function is. Testing this terminal on the solenoid I determined it only has power coming from it when the solenoid is in crank mode.
I'm pretty certain although being only slightly smarter than a bag of rocks that I have everything connected properly and logic tells me if I hit the key and get power to the solenoid thru the wire located on the "s" terminal and all other wires connected to the proper appendages this friggn thing should start but nope. Nothing.
If I connect a jumper from the battery to the starter side of the solenoid the starter cranks. I have tried several solenoids that I know work on it with the same results.
​
 
It sounds like you may have the IGN and START terminals reversed.

Talking about just the smaller terminals, one of them needs battery voltage to it in the crank position, and the others will get power because of this.

It sounds like maybe you have the crank wire on the ign terminal. This is possibly why you have power to that third terminal in the crank position.

What you could do to be safe and not fry anything is unhook all the wires from the solenoid. Hook your voltmeter up across the two large terminals (from the batt and to the starter). Switch over to Ohms to check for continuity.

Then use your jumper wire to apply battery voltage to each of the three terminals. Whichever one causes the ohms to drop to 0.0 is the one that needs the crank wire on it.

If you have everything connected properly and the solenoid is closing, it sounds like you have a problem between the battery and starter. If a terminal is dirty you may have a large voltage drop.

This can be tested as follows:

Place your voltmeter on volts. Put one lead on the positive battery cable clamp and the other on the terminal on the starter. When you try to crank, the voltmeter should read 0.0 volts meaning you have the same voltage at the battery as you do at the starter.

If when you crank you see any voltage at all, that is the voltage drop between the battery and the starter. You can then move the lead that is on the starter back towards the battery one connection at a time. So one lead would be on the positive battery clamp, and the other would move from the terminal on the starter to the cable end that is one the starter terminal. Next you would move it up to the cable end that attaches to the starter solenoid. Eventually you will see 0.0 during cranking and you will have found where the voltage drop is.
 
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Not sure, my 73 just has two. The crank and the other energizes the coil during cranking.
 
I have never seen one in the back how does it not hit the fender? And how would you even get a wire pluged to it.:confused:
 
There! Problem solved!
The terminal on the back has a 90 deg connector hooked to it. It goes to the neutral safety switch I assume. I just grounded it out and the truck started right up!
 
Thanks guys.
Here is a picture of the solenoid and the 3rd small terminal on the back I was trying to describe.
This terminal appears to be for a neutral safety switch. To by pass the switch just run this terminal to ground and Presto, We have ignition Huston! Now that I have that figured out I think I'll wire up a toggle switch to it and use that terminal for a security system!

oldcedarspeedway
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oldcedarspeedway
 
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Nice work man!!

I noticed that in the wiring diagram during my conversion so I'll have to deal with that too.
 
so what does it mean when I only get 6volts on each small post (6V on the S when cranking, 6V on the I when ignition on). I am getting 12+ volts on the battery terminals, and 12V on the battery post of the relay. starter jumps to life if the solenoid is bypassed. I did recently change out the ignition switch, could this be the issue? The solenoid just buzzes when I try to start my rig.
 
erics421 said:
so what does it mean when I only get 6volts on each small post (6V on the S when cranking, 6V on the I when ignition on). I am getting 12+ volts on the battery terminals, and 12V on the battery post of the relay. starter jumps to life if the solenoid is bypassed. I did recently change out the ignition switch, could this be the issue? The solenoid just buzzes when I try to start my rig.
Click to expand...
To get exposure you really should start a new thread. Everyone thinks this one is resolved.
It sounds like a wiring problem or bad connection. Very well could be related to the ignition switch work. 12 volts at the battery but it drops to 6 from the key to the solenoid.
 
dedeye said:
Thanks guys.
Here is a picture of the solenoid and the 3rd small terminal on the back I was trying to describe.
This terminal appears to be for a neutral safety switch. To by pass the switch just run this terminal to ground and Presto, We have ignition Huston! Now that I have that figured out I think I'll wire up a toggle switch to it and use that terminal for a security system!
Click to expand...

Any way we can get a part number on that solenoid? That's a great quick-n-simple security system - if only for rotten teenagers (including those who live in your own house :D )."
 
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