Start Solenoid Wiring--Did He Get it Right?

[bobtaildog]

Need someone to go check the wiring on the start solenoid (passenger side wheelwell). I picked up a new one yesterday and asked my son to put it in today. Now the truck turns over real slow.

Here is what I have looking down at the solenoid from the passenger fender.

Top (small red wire with boot that fits over screw)
Left Lug (small red wire on spade connector)
Right Lug ( all other wires...4 white, 2 green, 1 heavy red)

Thanks

kp

[tallfarmboy]

I don't think you can get it wrong as long as you have the small wires on the small posts and the big wires on the big posts...
Someone else will chime in here in a bit...Might be time to get your batteries load tested at a parts house...

TFB

[CharlieII]

I don't have an OBS solenoid in truck to look at, but the "small" wire on top is the wire that energizes the solenoid. The "large" wires are the ones that carry the actual load that the solenoid is switching. I would venture a guess that if you've got a rather large wire on one side, and really not much of anything on the other, that it's wrong, otherwise, why would ford run such a large amp wire, with a small wire either running from it or feeding it? One side should go directly to the battery positive, and the other should go to the starter. If there are more wires present, they are probably just using the solenoid post that the battery positive is connected to for a piggyback hot lead. A solenoid is just a fancy toggle switch that can switch a large load. The two "large" posts are the actual "high load" posts, and the "small" post is the "switch" that when energized with power, closes the circuit and "turns on" the starter. As long as a battery hot lead comes in on one, and the starter wire leaves on the other large post, and the wires are of adequate size, it will work. Do the OBS trucks have a solenoid on the starter as well? If so, the solenoid you are referring to could just be switching the power to the other solenoid that actually has the large starter wire on it.



Charlie

[djwc]

Did you check to make sure there is a good clean ground?

Dave

[brahamfireman]

[ QUOTE ]
Do the OBS trucks have a solenoid on the starter as well? If so, the solenoid you are referring to could just be switching the power to the other solenoid that actually has the large starter wire on it.

[/ QUOTE ]


YES. they do.

might have a corroded conection. I had one on the starter and the truck turned real slow, after a good cleaning it whips right over.

Diesel Rod