Hey guys....

Alright i replaced the started in my 55 f100 ( 12v) had it rebuilt locally. upon install of started found negatve battery cable resting on exhaust obviously melted ( great job PO ) replaced negative battery cable...tried to start truck ( new battery as well) got a clicking noise coming from started solenoid. replaced solenoid. After replacement of solenoid i have no power what-so-ever. Can't even get the lights turned on....now im sitting dead in the water scratching my head on where to go from here. any input would be awesome. i realize there isnt much to go off of but wiring/electrical isnt my strongest point.

Thanks guys

 

check engine to frame ground.
Battery Fried?

 

The way it was previously set up was kind of strange...maybe it was the correct way im not sure? negative battery cable was grounded to starter mount....then there is a seperate ground from the starter to the solenoid. then obviously power from the soolenoid to the starter. the only other wire from the solenoid is for the ignition ( key ) which runs to one of the front ears of the solenoid(typical ford solenoid design.) I hooked my daily driver up with jumper cables to battery ( though battery fried) and still nothing....?


I hate wiring

 

My 56 has a 351W with a Ron Francis wiring kit this is how mine is done. The positive lead from battery is attached to the left side of solenoid then from the right side of solenoid to starter (on my 351W it is a stud proturding from the starter). The negative battery lead attaches to the starter mounting bolt and then a ground wire run from there to the frame.


Chuck

 

Mine was wired like that when I got it; the neg ground is just grounding the engine the pos cable should be on the solenoid, check your battery to make sure it isn't fried there should be a couple wires coming off the ears in front of the solenoid, googgle ford solenoid and you may get a diaghram of how it should be hooked up. I also grounded the engine to the frame, What type/year engine do you have.

 

it's a 1955 with 292y, im going to try to get a diagram and run it from there...thanks for the input guys

 

Ok this is from my 56 manual which came from the factory as a 12 volt system (truck that is not the manual). If you are standing at the front of the truck and the solenoid is mounted to the firewall this is what you would see. The positive battery cable is mounted to the left side post, then the right side post cable is attached to the positve stud on the starter, The negative cable is attached to the starter mounting bolt and another cable goes from that bolt to the frame.

The small posts, left goes to the ignition switch and the right attaches to the coil (+ side) Remember for this example we are talking about looking at the solenoid from the front of the truck so your right side is on the drivers side.

In the automobile design word the driver side is all ways the left side and the passenger side is the right side.

Chuck

 

Thanks chuck,

That should help out pretty well....considering that the PO didn't have it wired that way at all...i think this weekend will entail re-wiring the ignition/charging system

Anyone in the manchester nh, area that will work for beer and pizza??? let me know HAHA

Thanks guys i'll update after i tackle the horror.

 

The solenoid is like a water faucet, current comes in one side and goes out the other. One large lug is connected to the POS side of battery, the other to the starter. The two small leads turn the "faucet" on and off. They are connected to the hot side of the ignition (the lead that is hot when the ignition key is turned to "start") and chassis ground. When the solenoid is "ON", current flows from the battery to the starter.
If you have either of the large lugs connected to GRD then you will have some major problems.

 

this is how it was routed...

positive cable from battery to solenoid ( pass side ) ground from drivers side big ear to starter mount. front side of solenoid had wire from solenoid to ignition.(pass side small terminal) Wire from battery terminal to starter positive terminal. The truck ran when it was wired up that way....after i had starter re-built i installed starter didn't touch solenoid. turn key hit button all i got was clicking from the solenoid. bought a new solenoid installed same way the PO had it. then nothing...no power from battery to anything....how bad did i fry everything? and what will have to be done to rectify situation?

my head hurts

 

The first part of your headache is calling the cable from the "drivers side big ear" a GROUND. It is not a ground, it is just as POSITIVE as the cable coming from the "+" terminal of the battery. The solenoid is just a switch that allows the flow of current from one side to the other. When the solenoid is actuated the flow of current starts at the battery, goes through the solenoid, into the starter, and then to ground via the starter housing.
To address your current problem:
If the starter is still installed on the engine, take a wire (a piece of heavy cable) and jump the positive terminal of the battery directly to the positive lug on the starter...this removes the solenoid from the circuit. The starter should turn over the engine with no problem...if it doesn't then you either have a weak battery or a bad starter or possibly another problem with the starter gear/flywheel.
Given what you said about the wiring working before you changed the starter, I would guess that the battery is low or the starter is defective.

 

thanks for all the input guys...it's greatly appreciated. Sorry if im coming off as in idiot but this is my first "classic" project and wiring isn't one of my strong points. I have a couple diagrams i can follow. I'll try that tonight with and see what happens. If i'm in the same spot that im in now...then the truck is going to my local electric shop....thanks guys