Wiring the starter solenoid

[Smokngun]

Hi all, I know I asked this last year when I put a new starter solenoid in my CJ-7, but which side does the battery cable/acc.wires go to and which side does the starter cable go to? It's an 83 CJ-7, 258 auto with the standard "Ford Type" solenoid on the passengers fenderwell. Thanks!

Mike H.
1983 CJ-7 Laredo,It's Orange! Now I just have to put it all back together.

[LEVE]

Mike, it doesn't matter.. It's just a two lugs which are connected start and pass the 12 volts to the starter. Just remember the starter cable is all by it self on one lug... everthing else connects to the other side. When the starter solenoid is not engaged the other lug just provides a very convient termination point for all the other wiring.

HA it does mater what side goes where , I bought my 83 cj7 4.2 with the seller telling me the he repaced the selonid and that the starter switch is bad thats y I am starting it with a srew drive {jump the seloniod}I belived him until I replaced the switch and the strater got stuck while the engine was runnig Talk about kaoss, I didnt know what to do first ,The 15- 20 seconds to disconnect the battery ,it chewed up my starter gear, It wouldn't shut off at the key,just kept grinding away,thats when I look at the seleniod it was backwards and the power kept flowing though to the starter. IT mounts one way only!

have a cold one!

[Smokngun]

Thanks Larry, I should have just looked at what the solenoid "does" and I would have realised that, thanks!

b_v_b, I think if you switch the small wires on the solenoid, your condition will happen. If yours "works" now, which side is the battery cable on and which is the starter cable on? man I hate electrical problems!

Now after testing systems, my heater motor won't work. The motor itself is grounded through a seperate wire that I ran to the dash (checked motor housing to neg. batt. terminal...0 ohms) When I put a volt meter on the hot wire to the motor and grounded it...POP went the fuse! grrrrrrrr. Checked for short/open in resistor bank...fine. Motor won't work on ANY setting including high. BTW, it's a new GM blower motor and I bench tested before putting that mess in the firewall.

Mike H.
1983 CJ-7 Laredo,It's Orange! Now I just have to put it all back together.

[sandfox]

its like leve said it doesnt matter what side. run the cable from the battery to one of the large terminals also connect the other wires that are pulling power there also . now on the other bid stud hook only the cable running down to the starter . then with a test light on one of the small wires going to the small posts see which one lights up when you turn the ign switch in the crank position hook that one up to one of the little posts and try it if it doesnt work try the other small post ( thats if you have 2 small posts and 2 big posts on your blower motor run a jumper from the positive batt post directly to the blower motor terminal and see if the motor runs if it does its either in the fuse or switch or wiring shouldnt be to hard to track that down hope this helps ..... dave

gotta play in the sand

[LEVE]

b_v_b, the question was concerning the connection to the lugs on the starter solenoid... nothing else. This is a simple heavy duty contact that's engaged by a relay which is engaged by the ignition switch.

IF the ignition switch is incorrectly wired the starter solenoid will be engaged incorrectly and do what you've described and shutting off the ignition may not help, depending upon the wiring error.

The other condition that occurs with your problem is when the contacts arc and finally melt... together and the starter just keeps on a turnin' after the engine starts. As you described, it's frustrating and can quickly destroy parts. Though the ignition switch may kill the engine... the starter overrun clutch and bearing can be toast by the time the engines killed and the starter voltage disconnected.

I'd give you an A+ for being able to disconnect that battery. That's quick thinking and taking control of the problem.

[Jeepzilla]

After reading this post and just assembling my 79 CJ , you say the starter cable should be on a terminal all by it`s lonesome ? I have a heavy <font color=red> RED</font color=red> wire coming off the alternator . Maybe I wrote it down wrong when I dissasembled the old girl 2 years ago but I thought that wire went on the right side of the solenoid where the starter cable goes on . When I say right side , I am viewing the solenoid mounted and looking at it from the top .
Should I change this over to the battery side of the solenoid ? I got gas in her and am ready to fire it up and dont really want any fires right aways [img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Thanks


Jeff



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[Jaffer]

Jeff-
You'd better switch and put that alternator line on the other side of the solenoid along with the cable that goes to your battery +.
As I under stand things, if you were to leave it on the starter side, the only time your system will charge would be when you have the starter engaged!
... unless you were wireing it so you could charge your starter! [img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
The way you have it wired now sounds like melt down city![img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

JAF
http://www.monsterslayer.com/jeep

[Jeepzilla]

I agree with ya Jaf . I`ll do that today , thanks



Jeff



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