Car is eating starter solenoids.......

[thehueypilot]

I must be having a rash of bad starter solenoids. Every new mini starter works at first than the starter solenoid starts to click. It is wired correctly, but after replacing it; it lasts for about two weeks then starts to click. It happened at the track Sat night and luckily I had a rubber hammer on board to hit it to get it to work before they flagged me. (If you drive a Ford with a remote starter solenoid never leave home without it!) It's getting embarrassing to have to get out with a hammer in my hand to beat on the starter solenoid so it will fire up. Anyone experience this issue? Is there a solenoid out there that will hold up?

 

[Tubo(2-bo)]

Are you using dual solenoids or just the one on the ministarter??
And which correct wiring, are you using?
Ford uses two solenoids. So I did too. Trunk mounted battery goes straight to starter's solenoid then to chassis solenoid, 10ga.wire from opposite side of chassis solenoid to ear on starter's solenoid. Use a Fox body type solenoid on chassis, it has a diode that the early Mustang type doesn't.

 

[thehueypilot]

Yes I am running the a solenoid on the inner fender and the mini starter has one as well. I am running both the main batt wire and starter solenoid wire off the right side terminal (stock wiring set up) on the inside fender solenoid. I did not mention that it did the same thing with the stock starter. The new starter is a gear reduction mini starter with heat shield attached.

 

[Tubo(2-bo)]

After I first got the ministarter install done, there was a "run on" issue w/starter. IIRC the fix was to reroute the starter solenoid wire from the right side to the left of fender solenoid.
Can't find a copy of the diagram that was posted for me.

 

[66Runt]

Have your checked for voltage drop through the starter circuit?

Don't forget to check the negative side as well.

 

[yeloxr7]

Get a Ford Solenoid (actually it's a relay). The aftermarket ones available in most parts stores are crap.

 

[brianj5600]

Do you run a seperate ignition on off switch? Or a start retard? Both reduce the load on the entire system.

 

[thehueypilot]

Get a Ford Solenoid (actually it's a relay). The aftermarket ones available in most parts stores are crap.

Do you mean an original Ford part? Are you talking about a late model Ford OEM relay? Everything is stock as in the ignition switch and no retard box. I'm temped to break the old one open with a hammer to see what is causing it to stick. Most of the aftermarket ones are made in China and the one's that are made in USA cost three times as much and last just as long as the cheap ones.

 

[yeloxr7]

Yeah. Get one from Ford.

 

[brianj5600]

It is alot easier for the entire system if ignition is retarded or not even firing. I have run a toggle switch on the ignition to allow the motor to spin w/o spark. Once it is turning a flip of the switch fires it off. I would also check all grounds. You cannot get too good of a ground.

 

[thehueypilot]

Problem solved.....I put a new solenoid in and right off it just clicked. I checked the grounds and even ran a new ground to the solenoid and nothing but click. I decided to check continuity on all the cables and the last cable that I checked ran from the solenoid to the starter had a open connection? What? The crimped on connection was loose, but trapped inside its shrink tube cocoon so it was not obvious that it was loose. It was burnt from a very loose connection. It’s the simple things that get you every time. Thanks all for the input!

 

[brianj5600]

Glad you got it figured out. I hate crossing my fingers and turning the key.

 

[thehueypilot]

Glad you got it figured out. I hate crossing my fingers and turning the key.

Yea....especially in the staging lanes when I have to start and stop it about three times because it’s too heavy to push.

 

[66newbie]

Battery / solenoid problems

Ok... I am not sure if I burnt up a solenoid or if my battery is the problem.

I get in, turn the key and I get a click click click (like the guy off King of the Hill ). I think the battery is low so I hook up the charger/jumper and it fires right up !!!! I run it for a while and stop and restart it, no problem. Next day, same thing I get the click click click...

How do I test the solenoid ? How should I test the battery because that battery is only 1 1/2 years old.

 

[krash kendall]

Your battery or alternator is fried. Check the voltage at the battery - car off 12.5V / car running 14.4V plus or minus .2V or so. If you don't get the 14.4V while running then it's the alt otherwise your battery isn't holding a charge.

 

[rbohm]

Get a Ford Solenoid (actually it's a relay). The aftermarket ones available in most parts stores are crap.

actually it is properly called a solenoid as it has a movable core. a relay does not have a movable core. people mistake it for a relay because it is not mounted on the starter itself.

 

[12sec67]

It is alot easier for the entire system if ignition is retarded or not even firing. I have to run a toggle switch on the ignition to allow the motor to spin w/o spark. Once it is turning a flip of the switch fires it off. I would also check all grounds. You cannot get too good of a ground.

how do you hook this up (toggle switch) - i'm running total timing 38 degrees with 11.5:1 compression and its getting tough to start once warmed up.

do you hook just to the ignition hot wire... ?

 

[limey66]

There are two small posts on the Ford starter solenoid. One energizes the solenoid to start the engine and I believe the other has voltage applied to it at all times to act as a bias to help prevent the contacts from becoming burned when 12 volts and a ton of current is put across them. If the bias isn't hooked up, after a while you'll get "click...click" as the contacts get burned.

The 'other' post has voltage on it when the solenoid is closed, and is used to take a full voltage feed to the coil (rather than via the ballast resistor) so you get a nice fat spark to start the engine.