Starter is good
Starter relay is good
Starter solenoid is junk. It engages the gear but wont engage the starter. When I jump to the starter motor lug it spins fine, but won't do both when wired normally.

Is there some reason why I can run the starter wire direct to the starter motor and bypass the starter mounted solenoid and go direct to the firewall starter relay?
I don't get why they wired it this way. Looks like Ford ran two relays in line with one another. Seems like it would work fine if it were wired up like the older fords.
Im an stuck with no rides to get anywhere and need to get her going.

Anyone have any input???

Thanks

 

Starter motors can pull upwards of 150 amps when operating. That's why there's a really fat cable going into the motor from the solenoid.

 

I guess what I dont understand is why I cant use the starter solenoid/ (or relay whatever you choose to call it) on the firewall to fire my starter.
Its escaping me why I have a starter relay on the firewall that then runs down to a second starter solenoid which then switches the starter. I know I need to engage the gear onto the flywheel, but they could be wired in unison, could they not?

If I ran 4ga. wire to a starter relay, then that went to the starter solenoid, it would still get whatever power it needed. Im not dropping wire size or attempting to run my ignition wire to provide the current.

Am I making any sense?

 

No you are not making any sense.
It is designed the way it is for high power handling.
The starter takes huge currents under engine starting load.
The solenoid take less than 1/10 of that amount.
You will end up burning wires, chewing up the flywheel etc.
Replace the faulty part, do it right and be done with it.
Good luck.

 

You guys aren't reading

 

There has been two relays used in these system since back in the mid 80s.
You do what you want.
Good luck.