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where is the starter solenoid?

4K views 23 replies 9 participants last post by  T-bucket23 
#1 ·
hey yall, where is the starter solenoid and what does is look like??
 
#8 ·
ok, i changed the #11 fuse and everything was woriking agian. This only lasted for about an hour before the fuse blew again, so the fuseable links are what i want to check now. i know 2 are supposed to come off the junction block by the battery (junction block??), and three are by the starter solenoid. this is going to sound really dumb but where is the starter??? And the only wires by the battery looked like they were ground wires. is that right??
 
#9 ·
Solenoid Location

Doc here, :pimp:

Assuming General Mystery Vehicle...


Starter Solenoid Location on a General Mystery Starter
Sorry For the crummy pic..Scanner dying..top round item is what your looking at..

The Solenoid is the smaller round Item located on top on the starter, it is held in place by 2 screws, and you must turn it 1/4 turn left or right after you remove the motor screw from the solenoid lug, to remove it, It has a tab that inserts into the starter body. Then lift up, and slide the Starter Drive plunger out.

Electrically it will have 2 or 3 lugs on the snout..

The big main bolt, this is where you will find the main battery cable and your fuse links and power wires to support the car, Switched, unswitched, and alternator...

Depending on the year, you may have an "I" terminal, this is used to provide power to the coil during cranking cycles only , when the rest of the system is cut off...

The other terminal is the "S" or energize Terminal, this is used to get the solenoid to push the starter drive gear forward at the same time it spins up the starter motor.

Your Area of interest will be the main bolt smaller (10 gauge) wires going away from the starter.You'll find the links there, or a few inches/feet back along the harness on those wires (unless you have a single terminal main power connector by the battery, My Vettes do..)

Doc :pimp:
 
#12 ·
Starter

Doc here :pimp:

Again assuming a General Mystery Vehicle / Engine...Starter will be at the right rear of the engine block at the bottom, near the transmission bell housing.

If you are getting power to a :confused: Main?? :confused: Fuse of some sort and something keeps blowing it..you have a short further downstream...your fusible links if INSTALLED CORRECTLY will supply power to that fuse not look for support FROM that fuse...Start looking elsewhere For that short...How many amps is this :confused: Main??? :confused: Fuse?

Doc :pimp:
 
#14 ·
What Doc was saying was to blow a fuse, the culprit (either a short or component drawing too much current ) must be "downstream" after the fuse. In other words opposite the incoming power.

That fuse could branch out and go several directions. You need to figure out what the fuse operates. Start looking at those accessories for problems. It could be a short in the wiring going to those accessories as well.

You can start by shutting everything off and turning on/running these accessories individually. If the fuse blows when you as an example, run the AC/Heater, then you know where to look.

Rich
 
#16 ·
So do you remember operating any of those above items when it blew?

If not, it might be wiring related. Check your cigarette lighter to make sure its clear and nothing like a penny from a kid put in there. Leave the lighter out for now. Most those items are switched so an actual component failure would not cause the problem.

Sometimes it can be tough finding a shorted wire but can be done. Let me know if you were operating anything.

Rich
 
#17 ·
Fuse buss

Doc here, :pimp:

The Fuse Buss (Or fuse box) Is Supported From the fuse links..not the other way around...So if you have power to BLOW a fuse the links by process of elimination are good...you should have 2 linked sources there, switched (on with key or ACC ) and unswitched (always hot).

A Fuse link when lost will totally disable the vehicle electrically , If installed properly.



This is a typical General Mystery Blade Buss..

just find the fuse that is blowing out, and isolate that circuit..pull the fuse, and measure with a volt ohm meter on an R x 1 scale, from the fuse side (non power) through the whole circuit..

if it shows 000 to ground you have a short ... track the wire to termination or the first plug (if your lucky enough to have one)and disconnect the plug (s) as you go..until you read infinite..

when you find that, the last stretch of wire is the one with the short...concentrate on that wire..That should fix the problem.

If it's like a lighting circuit..pull the bulbs first, the filaments will read almost 000 to ground through a meter.

Doc :pimp:
 
#19 ·
Well if you cant figure it out by the fuse blowing when you do something, you will have to take it a step further. You can use the methods Doc mentioned.

As I said check the lighter. I have seen stuff stuck in the opening as well as elements falling apart and down in there. As Doc said remove the bulbs for the interior lights. If a filament burns it can hang down and short against the case of the bulb.

Exlcuding wiring, everything else you mentioned (assuming that was everything) needs a switch to operate it. So windows, trunk and locks, require you to use a switch/button to operate them. So those things normally would blow when you used them.

Was the door open when the fuse blew? Since you have power windows and locks sometimes you can try wiggling the wire loom between the door and the door jamb and see if there is a problem there. I have had problems in this area more than once.

Rich
 
#20 · (Edited)
System Checks

Doc here, :pimp:

The thing to do is replace the fuse, and stabilize the system static..

Make sure it does not blow a fuse just "ON" and sitting there..

Then use each circuit ONE at a Time .. One window..first up , then down, next window, and so on..Then the Trunk pop, Then Power Mirrors, lastly the power locks..

If anyone of these pops the fuse .. that is the offending branch circuit..(I.E. left window blows fuse when activated, right runs OK..) Troubleshoot that branch circuit.

If NONE of these will pop a fuse independently, but does under combination load..then you either have the circuit under fused, (20 where a 25 should be..or a fast blow fuse where a Slo~blow should be) or you have one circuit (motor/solenoid) just beginning to malfunction and drawing slightly more current than required..

That will need addressing..find and fix the offender by testing in combo with other circuits on that fuse (Windows with locks, windows with mirrors..etc..) until the fuse stays good..the last item that tested that pops a fuse is the overdraw..provided it's offending enough to pop the fuse with just two items in use..

anyway you get the idea..another way is to place a current meter in line with the fuse and observe the draw..If you have 3 windows drawing 10 amps each, and 1 drawing 17 amps..well, you found a problem.

Doc :pimp:
 
#22 ·
shorts ?

hey heaven,

Checking for shorts can be extremely frustrating. If you are blowing a fuse regularly, you can narrow down the culprit simply as noted earlier by turning on one thing at a time. The fuse will blow immediately when something is turned on with a short. For instance, if you replace the fuse and try the doorlocks. Check the fuse. Is it blown? If not, you can cross the doorlocks off the list. Then, try the windows. After each window, check the fuse.

The problem is that once you have done this type of test, and maybe you did find a certain component that is consistantly causing the fuse to blow. Where is the short? Getting to those wires, and checking them is a very daunting task. Professionals have experience and tools available to them that make it much easier. I would strongly recommend taking it in.

If trying to start the car, blows the fuse, then the problem might be fairly simple. It may be just a bad battery cable. Fusible links hardly ever go bad. I wouldn't worry about them. Let us know what causes the fuse to blow, and we can go from there.

Good Luck,
Scott :mwink:
 
#24 ·
Fuse

If it only blows while you are driving it could be a scuffed wire rubbing on the floor or in the trunk area. Trunks are tough because a lot of people put some fairly large heavy items in there and they can pinch a wire or wear through the insulation firly quick. Check the wire harness that goes to the trunk, I have found a lot of issues are in this harness. Is the fuse blackened like it was burned or just melted. Usually a dead short blacken the fuse where as an overload will just slowly melt it out.

Good Luck
 
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