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HELP, ‘65 with no starter solenoid???

  • Thread starter Thread starter Navyflyer72
  • Start date Start date Jun 26, 2019
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Navyflyer72

Member
Mar 24, 2018
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Jun 26, 2019
#1
  • Jun 26, 2019
  • #1
I’m new to Mustangs, just bought a restored, ‘65 coupe that is now my daily driver. It’s got a later model 302, trying to get the casting number off the block to determine exact year, but the restoration was more of a partial resto-mod effort.

To just get her to be safer on the roads I immediately upgraded the lights to sequential led taillights, led reverse lights, front DRL/turn signals and led headlights. Then I found out that there was a wiring issue, when I would hit a bump in the road, one or both headlights would go out. Fun right?

So after inspecting the wiring, which appeared to be mostly the original harness, I ordered a new headlight wiring harness from CJ Ponyparts.

Install went decently until I got to the end of the harness on the front passenger side at the alternator connections.

It was here that I noticed that there was no starter solenoid... anywhere. Where it is usually mounted on the fender apron is a MSD Blaster 3. I crawled underneath and found a later-model starter (maybe?) that looks like it has the starter solenoid on the starter, it has a 0 gauge cable that goes directly to the battery positive terminal and a smaller wire attached to the smaller terminal on the possible solenoid, that might be red/blue (tough to see) that runs up to the engine harness connection on the firewall.

Right now, I buttoned everything up, and turned the key and got absolutely nothing, not even lights. So I’m about to check the fuses to see if I may have blown one during this install, (like a rookie I reattached the negative terminal before everything was connected and got some sparks).

So my question is, has anyone seen a set up like this before? And where does the brown wire (#262) that goes from the engine harness to the starter solenoid I-terminal, where does it connect now?

Thanks for any help, I have to go get my daily driver running again.
 

horse sence

15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
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Wile Coyote's stunt double
Jun 26, 2019
#2
  • Jun 26, 2019
  • #2
If it is a newer motor the solenoid is on top of the starter
 
Reactions: Realmongo
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Navyflyer72

Member
Mar 24, 2018
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Jun 26, 2019
#3
  • Jun 26, 2019
  • #3
Yep, that was it exactly. I didn’t have the yellow/black 12v+ battery feed tracker attached to the alternator (because I didn’t notice that the PO had swapped out the yellow/black for a red... installed that one wire and she fired right up!

Now to figure out what brakes she has so I can go buy some pads! I’m going to name this car the mystery machine!

Thanks again horse sense!
 
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