Having a starting issue with my 79. Bought new battery and solenoid. Everything is fine until I hook up the battery and my positive post sparks and there's a loud click on the engine somewhere. I replaced the battery cables and cleaned the ground up on the block. Wondering where else there could be a possible ground or short? Fusible link? Take any advice I can get. 351 Windsor. What should also be connected to the power side of the solenoid? I know power, horn, alternator and there is one other o cannot identify.

 

Please answer the following questions in full:

(1) What is the background story here? Why were the battery and solenoid replaced to start off with?

(2) What is the order in which you're hooking up the battery? It sounds like you're hooking up the positive post last; can you confirm? For future reference, that's highly dangerous - always disconnect negative first and connect negative last.

(3) Where is the click coming from?

(4) Is the key OFF when you do this? If not, what is it?

(5) Most importantly, what is the actual problem? You've stated an observation regarding what happens when you connect the battery - is that it? Are you just curious why this happens? Or is there an actual problem, such as the engine doesn't crank over, doesn't start, etc?

Need lots more information.

 

1) Recently got the truck. Was my brothers and it was running fine previously. At one point my brother stated he had connected the battery and had some sparks and smoke. I will confirm from where exactly later this afternoon. The truck had no battery so I bought a replacement. At first, with the old solenoid, everything connected fine and the electrical in the truck was all there but when I turned the key the starter would click once and stop. Never went any further. Looking at the starter it is brand new, I'm assuming(stickers still on it no wear), so figured it was something to do with an old worn out solenoid so I replaced it and now I am having the problem aforementioned.
2) I was connecting negative then positive. Thank you for the heads up.
3) the click I mentioned is when I touched the positive battery cable to the battery and it had sparked and heard the click and immediately backed off of it and wrote this post.
4) The key is off and it happened after I replaced the solenoid
5) I apologize for being so vague. I am trying to get the truck in running order so I can further assess my project. My problem began as the starter clicking after fully turning the key. One click. I adressed electrical as my first point because the truck is old and was parked in a field for sometime.

 

Welcome to FTE and just a heads up, fmc is the electrical/wiring whisperer in these parts. Be as detailed as possible and he will get you straightened out shortly.

 

Thank you very much. I am personally not familiar with anyone versed in older ford electrical knowledge in my parts. So I turn to the next best thing, this website :-)

 

This website IS the best thing because the amount of knowledge and the ability to contact hundreds of people all over the country within minutes cannot be matched in person.

 

Yeah no kidding. Hopefully ill get this problem resolved and wont have anymore until I start rebuilding.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I understand the situation to be that you bought the truck without a battery; with a previous battery, there was some spark and smoke somewhere. That history would probably be useful if you can confirm that information. That almost sounds like the first battery was connected backwards, and the smoke you saw was coming from the fusible link off the alternator, or the rectification diodes in the alternator blowing. Once you get up and running, you'll want to make sure the truck is actually charging.

With a new battery, the starter clicks (I'm assuming that's actually the solenoid that clicked once). If the solenoid makes, but the starter doesn't turn, that could mean a bad starter, jammed starter (locked engine), bad starter cable, or separated contact plate inside the solenoid.

I'm not sure what's going on with the sound you're hearing now and what has changed since the last time without knowing more of where the sound is coming from. Is the solenoid what's clicking? It probably makes sense to go over the solenoid connections. They should be as follows:

(1) RED with BLUE stripe wire to the 'S' post of the solenoid

(2) BROWN wire to the 'I' post of the solenoid

(3) Starter cable to the large starter-side lug of the solenoid

(4) Positive battery cable, alternator output wire, and main electrical feed to the large battery-side lug of the solenoid

 

Almost sounds like a bad starter. From what I am reading it sounds like the starter drive is what is making your clicking noise. I would pull the starter and have it bench tested. Make sure that they can put the starter under a load during testing.

 

That combined with the solenoid being closed for some reason.

 

What would would be making the spark on the battery connection post when I try hook the battery up? Grounding out somewhere?

 

That happens when there is a path for current to be drawn from the battery once it's connected. Even relatively light currents can cause this because of the extremely low internal resistance of the battery. That's why it's important to wear goggles when working around a battery. The battery doesn't necessarily have to be grounded out to see what you're seeing. If the battery was grounded out, whatever path the current was taking would get cooked. Automotive lead-acid batteries are incredibly powerful.

With the battery disconnected, check the resistance between the two large studs of the starter solenoid. It should be open-circuit, but it may be tack-welded shut from a bad starter. Based on all the posts above, I think you've got some more investigation to do.

 

Thank you. I will use what I've learned and try fish out this problem. I'll let you know my findings later today.

 

When I have the starter wire unhooked from the solenoid and connect the battery I have no sparking when I attach the battery cables. When the starter is connected I'm getting a spark when trying to connect.

 

Are you referring to the heavy-gauge starter cable in both cases? Sounds like the solenoid is tack-welded shut as I described in my previous post. A continuity check will confirm.

By the way, if you don't have a multimeter yet, you'll need to pick one up. It's just as important as any other tool you'd use on a vehicle.