I am replacing the starter in my Daughter's 74 El Camino whn a wire that was attached to the large BATT bolt on the solenoid just drops off- no the actual battery cable from the battery, another one on the same post. It's about 10guage wire. It looks like a fusible link that has come apart at the crimp.
I was thinking it was a bad solenoid on the starter, but it looks like this semi corroded wire slipped the crimp. The question is since it came from a thermal wrap loom near the Auto transmission tube, I can't tell where the rest of the wire goes to replace it?
What does it go to, and is a fusible link essential here?
It went to either the large post on the alternator (12v+), or to the battery fed post on the horn relay. To find out which, follow the large red wire from the alternator, and see where it goes. Does it go to battery, or to the horn relay on the firewall near the brake booster??
May possibly be a black two post junction block somewhere back near the distributor on the firewall, then goes from this junction over to the horn relay, your broken wire from starter could go their also. Just follow the wires up from the tube down at the starter.
If it came off the battery post on the starter, it should have a fusable link, if you value the rest of the wiring harness and don't want a short to burn it up.
I assume you can see/find the other half of the wire/crimp that it used to be hooked to. Easy to disconnect the alt charging lug wire at the alt and see if it has continuity with the broken area, the same would be true for the horn relay feed wire.
Not pos on a 74, but I believe the horn relay did have a fusible link protecting it. If it turns out being the fusible link you can replace it by splicing in a new one or eliminate the link at the starter solenoid and put in a blade style Maxi-fuse at the horn relay. Now the wire between the Maxi and the starter lug won't be protected but the maxi will be much easier to service should it need replacing in the future.
ANSWER IS: I followed the wire after unwrapping part of the loom. It goes to a block on the firewall. The red BATT wire from the alternator splices into it near the trans dip tube. I ended up doing some soldering of the new 14guage fusible link to the freshly trimmed end near the starter. If that piece didn't fall free from the tube I'd still be tearing my hair out wondering why no lights, no crank.
Thanks for your help.
Remember to please return to threads you start and conclude them with your fix.
Does the car have an ammeter? On the Corvettes the ammeter reads the differential in voltage between the starter solenoid and the horn relay. Because these are both "12 volt" wires, the differential is very small and is due to the length of wires between the horn relay and battery and starter solenoid, and which end of the wire (i.e., horn relay or starter solenoid) has a slightly higher potential.
Also, the offshoot of this is that if either off the two wires at the ammeter is grounded for whatever reason, you will fry the wires (old school) or a fusible link if so equipped.
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