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Please help! Identify this electrical part |
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Gizmo456
AMC Apprentice Joined: Apr/15/2016 Location: Vancouver, CA Status: Offline Points: 155 |
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Posted: Dec/02/2016 at 11:12pm |
Hi Guys and gals,
Can someone please identify the circled part in the picture and tell me what it does? I haven't changed any wiring and actually had the car running previously from a Jerry can due to a Rusty gas tank. Everything is clean and back together however when I tried to connect the terminals to my new battery it shorted out! The battery I used to fire it up off the Jerry can was a cheap one but that shouldn't make a difference. The red wire in the picture was attached to the positive lead with an eyelet but when I traced it back it was attached to the chassis behind the bracket of the unknown part? I connecting the positive lead to the battery first and it arced. I then tried to attach the ground lead first and then the positive and it also arced. I've heard of positive grounds and I'm just wondering if this would be the case of this red wire. I'm really stumped as to why I had no shorting issues with the old battery? |
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Gizmo456
AMC Apprentice Joined: Apr/15/2016 Location: Vancouver, CA Status: Offline Points: 155 |
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Ok I checked rockauto.com and I can now identify the part as the starter solenoid. But is there a reason as to why the red wire is bolted/attached to the area I circled and why in God's name does it trace to the positive lead?
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ramblinrev
Moderator Group Joined: Dec/28/2008 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 11538 |
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Somebody added that red wire, who knows why?
The starter solenoid terminal closest to the battery gets your + cable. Get rid of that red wire! |
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74 Hornet Hatchback X twins (since 1977)
62 American Convertible (still worth the $50 I spent in 1973!) AMCRC #513, AMO #384 70 AMX 360 4-speed (since 1981) |
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tyrodtom
AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/14/2007 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 6213 |
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It's no mystery why it's arcing when you hook up the positive cable, you're hooking up the positive cable to a ground. If that small red wire is wired to ground, it shouldn't be.
Are you absolutely sure no one has messed with your wiring, or you didn't change that red wire around somehow ? Because it would have had to do the same thing with the other battery.
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66 American SW, 66 American 2dr, 82 J10, 70 Hornet, Pound, Va.
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Gizmo456
AMC Apprentice Joined: Apr/15/2016 Location: Vancouver, CA Status: Offline Points: 155 |
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I figured someone screwed with my wiring. My dad actually hooked up the old battery before we started the car. I asked him and he said he didn't change anything...mabye old age is getting to him haha. So that red wire really serves no purpose. I have it connected to the battery ground right now and the car started fine. But it looks like the solenoid is grounded already from the negative lead going to the starter so I guess I should just get rid of the red wire?
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george w
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jan/27/2013 Location: New Jersey Status: Offline Points: 2899 |
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The red wire could be a constant 12v hot line to feed a relay, sound system or something along those lines. If it is it certainly should be fused as close to the starter relay/starter solenoid as possible. Under no circumstances should it go to ground. This would be a direct short and the wire would have burned up the instant you connect the battery.
By the way, that's NOT a negative lead going to the starter. It's a POSITIVE lead. The starter grounds back through the engine block to the negative battery cable. The starter relay mounting bracket is the ground path for the solenoid's internal magnetic coil. You may want to make sure that the old starter relay isn't shorted between the two large side terminals. Check these for no continuity from side to side. There should only be continuity when its energized by turning the ignition switch to start. It's not uncommon for these to stick or for the internal contacts to weld themselves together. The negative battery cable should be attached securely to the engine block and the positive cable goes to the starter relay closest to the battery. The opposite terminal goes down to the starter. The battery terminal of the relay is also the input connecting point for the main car electrical harness feed as well as for the output wire from the alternator. It's not unusual to also use this terminal for an accessory feed for aftermarket stereos, lighting, etc. There should also be a engine to body ground jumper that completes the body ground path to the engine and consequently back to the negative terminal of the battery through the engine block. On V8 cars it's at the passenger side motor mount bracket. It electrically ties the engine cross member to the block. It's a heavy black wire but not as heavy as the battery cables. Edited by george w - Dec/03/2016 at 5:38am |
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Long time AMC fan. Ambassador 343, AMX 390, Hornet 360, Spirit 304 and Javelin 390. All but javelin bought new.
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george w
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jan/27/2013 Location: New Jersey Status: Offline Points: 2899 |
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One more thing, the battery should be turned around so that the positive terminal of the battery is closest to the starter relay.
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Long time AMC fan. Ambassador 343, AMX 390, Hornet 360, Spirit 304 and Javelin 390. All but javelin bought new.
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Gizmo456
AMC Apprentice Joined: Apr/15/2016 Location: Vancouver, CA Status: Offline Points: 155 |
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Thanks for your detailed reply George w. Much obliged
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mramc
AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/12/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3217 |
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The red wire is an old trick to make up for a bad ground. The starter solenoid
has to be grounded to the car to work right. That is the only way the system works. Often you get the solenoid rusty or the bolts are loose in the holes and do not ground the solenoid. In other words a badly grounded system due to rust and age. Clean all the grounds that fixes the problem, and oh there are usually a couple grounds for the wring harness on the fire wall. LRDaum |
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LRDaum
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