Just converted my f1 to 12 volts. New harness from performance world 329021. Ignition switch I got from mid fifty’s. Unfortunately the one they sell is not the one they have instructions for. The one they sent me only has 3 posts. Rad Com Am. I wired it the way I thought but nothing works not getting power back to starter side of solenoid. they couldn’t help.
Figured Rad was accessories. But the other two, which get power from battery. Is that Am and does power back to solenoid go to com. Ohh and to mess things up further I have a start button in between. Any help would be appreciated. So disappointing today won’t to start the new build and nothing. Not even gauges.

 

What starter solenoid and ignition switch are you using? There are a few different types that are wired differently.

Generally all have a power in (from battery), power out (to the starter), and a trigger (run signal from the ignition switch). Where things differ is the run signaling. The stock setup is looking for a completed ground as the trigger signal. Other styles are looking for a hot signal. But it gets even more complex than that. Some have two small terminals that can be used for the trigger circuit, each requiring a ground and a hot. Some also have two small terminals, but one is a trigger, the other goes to the coil to give resistance bypass for spark on startup. There can be variations from these as well.

As an aside, be careful with wiring this - you can cook the bimetallic components of your gauges with inadvertent direct 12V.

 

Still confused. This switch has AM. COM RAD. Not seen these before. Which is power which is accessory and which goes to coil.

 

We have a ‘49 F-1 and the starter button is wired direct to the battery and it will turn over without the ignition switch turned on. The ignition switch turns on the accessories and provides power to the coil.

 

Do you have a multi-meter? You could check the switch positions easily if you set it on the resistance setting. Hook one lead to the 12v battery terminal and then click your ignition switch one position. Check which terminal has close to zero resistance and that is the terminal that corresponds to that key position. Then you turn the key to the run position and I assume you will have no resistance on both loss terminals.

 

You have not revealed witch switches and solenoids are being used - they dictate comparability with each other and how they are wired up.


Does your switch look like this:

It has the COIL, GA RAD, and AM terminals similar to what you mention, and therefore it should map like this:

Coil-> Coil
GA RAD -> Gauges and Radio - kind of like Accessory Power
AM -> Amp Meter (sourced from the power wire from the battery terminal on the solenoid that passes through the Amp Meter sensor coil)

There is no Start/Crank position on this switch as it is to be used in conjunction with the momentary grounded starter switch with a ground triggered starter solenoid.

Here are some other examples for various other styles/systems that you may have (or you can always ohm out your particular switches configuration):








https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ml#post8224730

 

That’s the switch. Ok. Makes some sense. What is amp meter coil. So constant power comes from the terminal on my solenoid that has battery connected to it. Then into fuse box to my switch. Just blew 70 amp fuse as somehow bypassed starter switch and she connected battery engine tries to start

 

Hey Eric,
As Bmoran asks, could you please post us a picture of you solenoid? Is it a 4 terminal or 3 terminal? There is a universal 4 terminal that wires differently than a Ford OEM four terminal. Back when your truck was new it had a 3 terminal, which of course wires different from a 4 terminal. Brian is right, we need to know what solenoid you are using, where you bought it, even a stock number if you have it, and we can give you a little better direction from there. Looking forward to seeing you get this straightened out.

 

Great. Much appreciate the help.
so attached is photo of my solenoid. 4 post. I am using the performance world harness 329021. Attached photos.
having most issues with wires 32 and 33. 33 has a black and red wire together According to performance world the black part to my starter switch. Was not told where the red side goes to. Should that go to my AM on ignition switch. They. Then told me to connect my 32 to the other. Side of the Start switch. Now in engine compartment. What I think I did wrong is that I had the purple 32 switch on the S side of the solenoid. I put it on the battery side. Note that solenoid is mounted







upside down. Is this Correct. Have to replace 70 amp fuse to starter on wire 52 Blew it when messing around

 

Bit more confused. Went and did continuity test. I tested purple in cab and purple under hood 32. They are linked through fuse box. So constant power. Still not sure if it should be on power side of solenoid. Then tested 33 black with red pigtail. Seems to be linked to 52 under hood. 52 goes to starter side of solenoid so no constant power. So seems my only constant power is 32 if I put on power side of solenoid. If I then connect it to starter switch I don’t get power to ignition switch. I feel I’m close with all this. Just can’t figure out which is constant power from under hood to ignition. Then few other issues.

 

Hey Eric,

Let's zero in on your starter solenoid for just a moment as this is the key I feel to knowing how to wire the rest of your starting circuit. As mentioned before, there are a few different types of things available and they wire up differently. On the starter side of your solenoid you should only have one cable connected. That cable will run to your starter. Then the two terminals in between secured by the 3/8 nuts. We really need to know is the coil inside the unit a 12 volt isolated coil? Did it come with a little jumper wire? If you don't know let's try this. Disconnect ALL the terminals except the one that runs to the battery. Connect the battery cables. Take a jumper wire (I usually like to splice in a fuse in the middle of the wire just in case.)and temporarily short the closest middle terminal to the battery side of the solenoid. Did it click? If not do it again, but try the other middle terminal. Did it click? If not now short one of those small terminals to ground. Now connect the other to 12 volt jumper wire. It should click. If so now we know for sure which way we are heading to wire it up. So let us know which test makes your soleniod click. Once again on these test make sure the only wire that is connected on your solenoid is your battery cable, we don't want the starter to engage ( for safety reasons)

 

Ok did you you asked

left battery +. Attached to right again mounted solenoid upside down). The solenoid clicked when I jumped it with the post on left marked S.
as for wires here is what I have currently hooked to solenoid

large left post
starter wire
Red from alternator (attached alternator diagram)
Red wire 52 from harness before going into fuse block it has 70 amp fuse. The continuity of this is red with black pigtail 33 in cab

small post S
Purple harness wire 32 continuity to 32 in cab

Red electric power steering pump wire goes down to specific solenoid they provided

small post I
red to coil +

large post on right
battery
short red wire to relay that goes to solenoid for electric steering pump

 

Hey Eric,

Based on your tests and your terminal label observations , it looks to me that you will need a 2 post start button. Is that what you have currently?You will take your purple wire that connects to the S terminal on your start soleniod and connect that to one of start button terminals. And the other terminal on your start button will connect to a 12 volt source such as your Ignition switch AM terminal or if you like a little more safety from kids jumping in your truck and pressing buttons, you could power your start switch from your Coil terminal of the Ignition switch.
I am not sure where your other red wire runs to on the S terminal of the solenoid. You just need to have your purple between there and one terminal of a two post start button. Hope that helps!
If you have other questions, we could get to those after your start button issue is ironed out.
EDIT:
So yes, long story short, you could just connect wires 32 to one post of your start button and 33 to the other.

 

Ok that makes sense for the start button. And yes it’s a 2 button. What I am struggling with right now is getting power from solenoid to ignition switch. The only thing is I don’t seem to have a wire from the battery post on solenoid to the ignition. Can’t seem to figure which one on harness that would be.

 

I think it should be wire 33. That looks like that should be the hot one that feeds 12 volts to the start button. (I added an edit to my response before this one that maybe you didn't see) Put a test light on it. If its dead, we have more troubleshooting to do.