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Hi All- Jumped in the '63 today and the starter spins but no cranking. Figured maybe its the solenoid, so I hopped out and had the first 'real' look at the setup since I got it. My dad, the long-dead previous owner (and also auto mechanic), has two solenoids wired together... I don't really know why. In the image, the older-looking one leads to another battery box at the back of the bed that used to power a winch on a car trailer he pulled with it. So the battery power comes into the newer one on the right post (the newer looking black cable), then there's the takeoff that goes to the other solenoid, through to the black cable that runs to the back. The left big post of the top solenoid runs down to the starter. The starter itself is only about a year old, BTW.
What I don't understand is why the second, 'older' solenoid is there... Any guesses why he'd have used a solenoid there? Was it some kind of go-between for the two batteries? I've never seen a setup like this. Also, what is the deal with the takeoff for the second solenoid, with those three (dunno what they are) square things on it that the cable then attaches to?
Finally, I've watched some videos about testing the solenoid on the car, which I can handle. If it's not that, it has to be the starter correct? New ring gear at the same time as the starter.
Wait... as soon as I posted this I think I figured it out... The red wire on the second (lower) solenoid leads to a swtch he put in the cab. He was just using the solenoid as a relay to send power to the box/winch in the back, wasn't he? Because he didnt want to buy a new relay when he had the old solenoid just sitting around. THere was no second battery... he just used an old battery box to keep the winch wires dry.
Dad, you tricky old fart. Working on this thing really feels like I'm talking to you again sometimes...
Wait... as soon as I posted this I think I figured it out... The red wire on the second (lower) solenoid leads to a swtch he put in the cab. He was just using the solenoid as a relay to send power to the box/winch in the back, wasn't he? Because he didnt want to buy a new relay when he had the old solenoid just sitting around. THere was no second battery... he just used an old battery box to keep the winch wires dry.
Dad, you tricky old fart. Working on this thing really feels like I'm talking to you again sometimes...
Sounds like you figured it out. So that second solinoid has nothing to do with your starting circuit. As for your problem, if the starter is turning, the solinoid is good, the problem is most likely the starter drive or missing teeth on the flywheel.
I'm curious as to the triple circuit breakers. I'm not that versed on this setup, perhaps by tripling the breakers, it somehow triples the protection?? In other words, three 20 amp breakers equals one 60 amp??
Any way, that is how your father wired the auxiliary power solenoid, however the amps works out, he did think to protect the circuit.
I didn't know they were circuit breakers, though I suspected. I guess if the amps were spread across three, the load would have been split? Like in parallel?
The whole thing just makes me laugh. Feels like he just decided to wire it up that way and didnt feel like heading to the parts store so he scavenged stuff off all the other old fords he had sitting around (there were a lot). I keep finding little surprises like that and figuring out what he was thinking makes me smile.
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