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Hey everyone. First time ever signing up and posting on a forum, so hopefully someone can help me out. The starter I pulled out, only has an S terminal on the solenoid, but the starter I purchased has an R and S terminal. Is this the wrong solenoid for what I need/have? I don't have any extra wires just hanging around under there to connect to the R, so I'm not sure how to go about figuring it out. Thanks!
It will work. Do not use the R terminal. R is for powering a points distributor during cranking. I put the small S wire on R on a Camaro I had accidentally and burnt all the fusable links.
It will work. Do not use the R terminal. R is for powering a points distributor during cranking. I put the small S wire on R on a Camaro I had accidentally and burnt all the fusable links.
Ok awesome, thank you. I had a mechanic do the plugs on it, and the battery terminal mysteriously broke/became loose, so it would only start if I held my tongue just right. They of course washed their hands of any wrong doing, so now here I am trying to replace it. Having said all of that, when wiggling the main battery cable, trying to get it started after the winter, there were a couple sparks involved. 😬🤦♂️ If I burnt out the fusible links, is there a way to get the plastic circular casing open to see what sort of shape they're in, without breaking them? When I wired the new starter, there doesn't seem to be any power going to it at all.
Probably the original starter solenoid.
Just use the "S" terminal to land the purple wire...
Save your old starter solenoid if it's not cracked or broken.
Hard to find good solenoids nowadays...
Hey everyone. First time ever signing up and posting on a forum, so hopefully someone can help me out. The starter I pulled out, only has an S terminal on the solenoid, but the starter I purchased has an R and S terminal. Is this the wrong solenoid for what I need/have? I don't have any extra wires just hanging around under there to connect to the R, so I'm not sure how to go about figuring it out. Thanks!
Update. New battery. Cables and connections to the battery are clean and tight. 4 speed manual. When I turn the key to the on position, headlights work, blower fan works, but the battery guage doesn't move. With the key left in the on position, there's power to the starter at the battery cable terminal, but the S terminal doesn't appear to have any power running to it. Is there a correlation to the battery guage not working, and the S terminal not having power to it?
if you are tossing the old solenoid and looks like the picture and brown..don’t toss it..
Yes, that is exactly what my old solenoid looks like. The battery post is loose/broken, but I believe they're able to be repaired. I thought replacing the entire unit would be the easiest route, but I've now managed to lose power to the purple/S terminal wire. Battery guage also doesn't move with key in the on position.
Fusable links are sections of special wire made to burn up and protect the circuit if there is a short, like blowing a fuse. The fusable links are the other wires on the B terminal. From your description, since you've got power to everything I think you're fine.
Fusable links are sections of special wire made to burn up and protect the circuit if there is a short, like blowing a fuse. The fusable links are the other wires on the B terminal. From your description, since you've got power to everything I think you're fine.
So where I'm at right now, starter doesn't spin at all, and the battery guage isn't showing that it's getting any power. What I can't figure out, is whether the S terminal isn't getting power, or if it's the 2 wires that have the fusuable links, that don't have power. And is one of those the reason the guage doesn't show any power. Do I need to use a multimeter on each individual wire disconnected from the starter? Should the key be in the on position to test them, or off? Or does it depend on the wire?
and the ignition switch itself is goofy. the key pushes a rod that pushes the ignition switch that is a couple inches down the column. it can get loose and not close the last contact to crank the engine. and neutral or clutch switch depending on trans type will also bite you...
Like what was said by Chuck72, the Clutch Start Switch MUST be made to get power to the purple wire at "S" terminal of solenoid when ignition switch is crank position.
You may need a assistant to press clutch pedal in and turn ignition switch to crank position when you are checking voltage at "S" terminal.
There are (2) Fusible Links at the starter solenoid.
Let's label them "A" & "B"
You say you have Headlights good, Fusible Link "B" is a direct path to your Headlight Switch. This tells me Fusible Link "B" is good.
You say when you turn ignition switch ON you can hear the heater fan running good, Fusible Link "A" is part of your charge circuit and also feeds your fuse panel. This tells me Fusible Link "A" is good.
Now, you have no gauges there is a Gauges fuse check that...
Like what was said by Chuck72, the Clutch Start Switch MUST be made to get power to the purple wire at "S" terminal of solenoid when ignition switch is crank position.
You may need a assistant to press clutch pedal in and turn ignition switch to crank position when you are checking voltage at "S" terminal.
There are (2) Fusible Links at the starter solenoid.
Let's label them "A" & "B"
You say you have Headlights good, Fusible Link "B" is a direct path to your Headlight Switch. This tells me Fusible Link "B" is good.
You say when you turn ignition switch ON you can hear the heater fan running good, Fusible Link "A" is part of your charge circuit and also feeds your fuse panel. This tells me Fusible Link "A" is good.
Now, you have no gauges there is a Gauges fuse check that...
Depressed clutch pedal. There is power to the S terminal when key is turned to start, but when the key is turned to start it, the fan stops blowing completely. Release the key, fan blows again. Guage fuse is good as well.
Depressed clutch pedal. There is power to the S terminal when key is turned to start, but when the key is turned to start it, the fan stops blowing completely. Release the key, fan blows again. Guage fuse is good as well.
Your fan will run in the ignition ON position.
Your fan should NOT run in the START or crank position.
When you release the key from START back to the ON position and the fan starts again it is working correctly...
You have power to the "S" terminal with ALL conditions met.
I want you to try something...
Ignition switch off...
Remove the wire from the "S" terminal, screw the nut back on hand tight.
Makeup a short jumper 6" or so #10 or #12 gauge wire, #12 gauge wire minimum.
Ignition Switch still OFF
Clip one end on the "S" terminal post...
Now just touch the other end to the LARGE BATTERY post of the solenoid, does your starter solenoid engage starter?
Your fan will run in the ignition ON position.
Your fan should NOT run in the START or crank position.
When you release the key from START back to the ON position and the fan starts again it is working correctly...
You have power to the "S" terminal with ALL conditions met.
I want you to try something...
Ignition switch off...
Remove the wire from the "S" terminal, screw the nut back on hand tight.
Makeup a short jumper 6" or so #10 or #12 gauge wire, #12 gauge wire minimum.
Ignition Switch still OFF
Clip one end on the "S" terminal post...
Now just touch the other end to the LARGE BATTERY post of the solenoid, does your starter solenoid engage starter?
The starter does NOT click or engage in any way when I jump it, with the key in the ignition in the off position.
The starter does NOT click or engage in any way when I jump it, with the key in the ignition in the off position.
Double check your battery positive and ground cables.
If that's all good and you don't even get a click with the jumper wire I would take the starter back and have them test it.
Sounds like a pain but that's where your at...
But wait !
What if the starter itself has a poor GRD? (missing mount bracket, missing GRD cable, starter to block surface greasy, etc)
Also;
I have seen on this forum a few "fudged-up" solenoid harnesses. Wrong wire eyelet terminal going to the wrong solenoid post with the wrong color wire and wrong gauge size.
Slight chance this is happening here.
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Apr 10, 2022 at 07:32 PM.
Starter 1981 350
