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1961 - 1966 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Slick Sixties Ford Truck

Starter solenoid help

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Old May 21, 2022 | 04:24 AM
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Starter solenoid help

Bare with me here. I’m learning all of this as I go along. I’m going to post pictures and explain the best of my ability what’s going on and I hope it helps anyone reading to guide me in the right direction. I’ve been trying to use the 65’ f100 wiring diagram to help and I have more wires at the solenoid then the diagram and I’m lost. Ran into a sketchy situation.

I have a 1965 f100 with a 390, pulled the engine, took pictures of the wiring, replaced alternator harness, engine back in replicated how the wiring was before and didn’t start turn over, no power to ignition. (I can take pictures of the wiring back of alternator if needed, I think it’s right. Alt had white, black and red. The wire has white black and red caps on each wire so I just color matched and ran the grounds on the alt and the engine and ran the 12v wire to + On solenoid)

so I started using the online wire diagram,
I have the red blue wire going S on solenoid, brown wire(diagram shows green) going from I to ignition to coil(I believe), and the thick black wire with yellow stripe and thin black wire with yellow stripe is where it is getting confusing.

thick black wire has 12v power and thin black yellow stripe was originally plugged in with the junction block with grounds truck didn’t turn over.

moved thin black yellow stripe wire to positive side on solenoid and it turns over but I fried a wire, then I removed an all black wire that is getting 12v off the positive side of the solenoid and it turns over and doesn’t try to fry anything.


How previous owner had truck wired, thin black yellow stripe wire is at junction block. Thick black yellow stripe(goes to alt. Meter gauge) has 12v power and goes to + side on solenoid, all black wire also has 12v runs with alt. Meter gauge wire(haven’t traced it yet) also is tied on + side, when I remove the all black wire and hook up the thin black yellow stripe wire the truck turns over.

Truck turns over with this set up here. But now I’m left with a live 12v power wire that I cannot hook up.

Wires start to fry when this wire is hooked up on positive side of solenoid. I haven’t traced the other end yet, just trying to get help on what could be going on.
 
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Old May 21, 2022 | 09:01 AM
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You need to STOP doing what you're doing. If that is the ground (-) wire from the battery on that junction block you have likely killed your ALT. gauge. You need to move that to the engine block. And make that wiring diagram manual your bedside reader for a while. Here is a picture of my wiring you don't necessarily need the breaker. I use it to shut down the electrical vampires when the truck is sitting for a long time.



 
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Old May 21, 2022 | 09:55 AM
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In looking at the pictures I was curious about the wrapped wire or wires going to the one bolt that is holding the solenoid to the inner fender. That would essentially ground that end of that wire so hopefully it is a ground wire and not hot or that would be creating a short circuit.
 
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Old May 21, 2022 | 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Crop Duster
You need to STOP doing what you're doing. If that is the ground (-) wire from the battery on that junction block you have likely killed your ALT. gauge. You need to move that to the engine block. And make that wiring diagram manual your bedside reader for a while. Here is a picture of my wiring you don't necessarily need the breaker. I use it to shut down the electrical vampires when the truck is sitting for a long time.


I appreciate the help, as embarrassed as I am hahah. The truck runs now. I don’t know why I had that ground going from the battery to the junction, battery was already grounded to chassis, I will continue to study this diagram and learn it. I for sure I have a lot to learn.
 
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Old May 21, 2022 | 12:00 PM
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Originally Posted by TA455HO
In looking at the pictures I was curious about the wrapped wire or wires going to the one bolt that is holding the solenoid to the inner fender. That would essentially ground that end of that wire so hopefully it is a ground wire and not hot or that would be creating a short circuit.

honestly I don’t know why it is there. I’m sure I could get away with out it. It’s a ground but I’m sure the solenoid is grounded to the chassis. I was only trying to re create what was done before engine was pulled. But with some help here it runs.
 
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Old May 21, 2022 | 12:17 PM
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I was kinda curious about that ground myself.
One thing about the wiring diagrams other than they are separated into different systems is none of them depict the harness for the ALT and Oil gauges the way they were installed either at the factory or by the dealer. That kit likely came with its own instructions.
Patina65, when the ALT gauge and harness is used all the power to operate the truck other than while the starter is engaged must pass thru the gauge. The only wires connected to the (+) side of the start relay should be the (+) from the battery and the black wire in the ALT gauge harness.
 
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Old May 21, 2022 | 12:56 PM
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The only wires connected to the (+) side of the start relay should be the (+) from the battery and the black wire in the ALT gauge harness.
this is how it is set up now.
I should have asked for help earlier on. Your pictures and your post painted such a clear picture for me on how it works.
feel like an idiot how it set up before haha.
 
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Old May 21, 2022 | 01:22 PM
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Good deal. If it's working drive it.
 
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