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Starter Solenoids Keep Going Out

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jonb79 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonb79 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Starter Solenoids Keep Going Out
    Posted: Feb/16/2012 at 10:35am
From my experiece, I have seen constant duty solenoids (heavy duty solenoid used mainly in equipment) weld themselves close due to a stuck relay and or a switch that was bad. I don't know the the diagram of the starter circuit but it wouldn't be a bad idea to check the power at the switch with a voltmeter to see if power is being supplied to the starter relay even with the ign switch off.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RB401 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/15/2012 at 10:40pm
Just wanted to say I finally fixed the solenoid problem last weekend.  I don't really know what the problem was, but the starting circuit is simple, so I replaced the starter, postive and negative battery cables, starter cable and the engine to chassis ground wire. The chassis ground wire was a 10 guage wire and appeared to have been original.  I replaced it with a short 4 guage starter cable. Cleaned all the connections with sand paper.  Checked for continuity through the s-wire and the neutral saftey switch (on the T5).  My guess, it was just a poor ground.  Anyway, no more solenoid hang-up and consequent starter run-on and in general all seems good.
 
Thanks for everyone's suggestions.
'73 Javelin AMX, 401, T5

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/07/2012 at 8:41am
Ignition switches of that age can develop intermittent issues..... can be tricky to nail down.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RB401 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/06/2012 at 10:15pm
Ok, so after work, I went out and tried starting the car and what does it do--starts right up!  Tried it a few times, started each time.  So, the problem now seems like either a poor ground or an intermittant open circuit possibly in the s-wire from the ignition switch or maybe the ignition switch itself.  Next weekend, I will get out with the voltmeter and start resistance checking all of the starting system wires, clean the grounds, etc.  Replacing the s-wire from the ignition switch to the s-terminal on the solenoid is probably a hassle, so hopefully that wire will checkout okay.
'73 Javelin AMX, 401, T5

T5 Swap Page: http://mysite.verizon.net/amxjavelin/t5swap/t5swap.html
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 73hornut Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/06/2012 at 7:56am
Originally posted by RB401 RB401 wrote:

The motor does turn over if you jump from battery positive to the starter side of the solenoid.
Bad ignition switch, or neutral safety switch?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RB401 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/05/2012 at 11:21pm
The motor does turn over if you jump from battery positive to the starter side of the solenoid.
'73 Javelin AMX, 401, T5

T5 Swap Page: http://mysite.verizon.net/amxjavelin/t5swap/t5swap.html
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FuzzFace2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/05/2012 at 10:26pm
OK are ALL the batt. cables new out of box or are they old and look good? If they "look good" I would replace them and dont forget the ground behind the pass side motor mount.
If you run a wire from batt + to the S on the SOL the motor should turn over if not then there is something still wrong/bad somewhere. Now someone said something about a ground wire on the back of the SOL? I have never seen any with this on it but have seen that the SOL needs to be grounded to the inside fender so if you just painted it you may want to cleam off some of the paint to see if this does anything. The other thing the ground from batt to motor IIRC is to the head. Motor painted? Clean off the paint on the motor and put the ground back on.
Once you get the motor to turn over using the jumper wire from batt to SOL you can see if the normal wire will work.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote carnuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/05/2012 at 8:14pm
Is the ground wire off the back of the solenoid?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RB401 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/05/2012 at 7:30pm
Help!
 
I just installed a new starter and a new solenoid and the engine will not turn over. I must be diagonosing this wrong. I have 12 volts coming from the ignition wire to the s-terminal on the solenoid when I turn the key to the start position. So, the ignition switch appears to be working properly.  When I turn the switch to the start postion nothing happens, no click, nothing.
With the key in the off position, I have 12 volts at the battery post on the solenoid and I have 12 volts at the starter post (not the little s-terminal) but the large post on the solenoid.  Since, I have 12 volts on the starter post, I also have 12 volts at the starter, (which doesn't seem right).  Again when, I turn the key to start, nothing happens.  If I jump (with a jumper cable) from the battery postive terminal to the starter post on the solenoid, the starter turns over.
 
Does anyone have any idea what is happening here? It's hard to believe I have gotten three bad solenoids in a row. Something must be wrong, but I can't figure it out.
'73 Javelin AMX, 401, T5

T5 Swap Page: http://mysite.verizon.net/amxjavelin/t5swap/t5swap.html
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 6PakBee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/05/2012 at 3:57pm
With the quality of parts you get it seems it's just a crap shoot as to what will fail next.
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