Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting NEW engine but have Elecritical prob...HELP!!

Simon,
The sol is part of the starter,pull the plug we have been discussing and run a '+' line to it from the battery,if the starter engages and turns its not the sol, trace the sol line back to find the fault causing no power to the starter..I still dont think you need a new one!

Oh ok. So that's not what I did then? I had a + line from the battery going to the smallest of the 3 screws on the sol and the starter engaged and cranked the engine when I re-connected the battery - cable.
So you saying to disconnect the plug (near the battery, black wire connecting to the black/grey wire) that connects to the sol and "then" run the + line to it?

oh and I didn't order a new starter, just a sol. Thinking that the sol is what is bad and not the starter it self as it engaged the engine when I did my test.

The small wire is what trips the solenoid.

The solenoid has a large gauge wire to the positive terminal of the battery, another fairly large conductor that goes from the solenoid to the starter, and the small wire.

When you apply ~12V to the small conductor on the solenoid, it "trips" the solenoid. One of the solenoid's functions is to connect the battery terminal to the starter, providing a path that allows a very high current to flow, enabling the starter motor to turn.

So if the engine cranked when you connected a 12V source to that small terminal, you demonstrated that the starter and solenoid are good, and that 12V is probably not getting to the switch terminal on the solenoid.

Put a multimeter on that small terminal and turn the key. I believe you should see 12V when the key is turned to the start position.

If not, then something is wrong in the circuit from the keyswitch to the starter.

TB
Electricity is not tough, just think of it as plumbing that can kill

Ok, so what if I do get 12v on the multimeter? Where would the problem be then? Somewhere in between the ingnition and battery?

Terry and Tucker were right!!
The sol is GOOD. I setup my testing wire again, this time I had both battery connections on, I disconnected the plug that is from the battery to the starter (the one you was talking about Terry), and I connected the croc clip to the inside of the plug on the starter side and the engine cranked. So the sol AND starter are fine.

But now I'm back to square one!! How can I find where the problem is??
I tried to use the voltmeter but I haven't used one since high school! I didn't know which setting to put it on to measure Volts. So I tried all of them!!..lol none gave me a reading of 12. (I had the black cable connected to the - on the battery and the red to the sol while I had the key in the ON position). I'm sure I was using it wrong.

Anyways........NOW WHAT!!???!?!?!... I'm sorry to be a pest guys but I am really stressing over this! I didn't come all this way for it to not work due to a damn WIRE connection or something.

Oh, and not sure if this is related or not...but my fuel pump doesn't seem to be working either? I don't hear it come on when I turn the key and I have no preasure in the fuel lines? Coincedence or is this maybe another problem due to the fact that maybe my problem lies in the ignition switch somewhere?

Did some more fishing tonight and going throught the Haynes. I checked the relay for the ignition in the main fuse box, haynes said you should be able to eahr it clicking on and off with the key, if not, it's either the ignition or relay. Well, I can hear it clicking on and off so that's ok according to haynes. So the ignition switch must be fine also.

I don't know where else to look. I'm lost!

Checked on the Ford CD, it says to run a EEC-V KOEO Self Test....what the bloody hell is that??? (couldn't find it on the CD nor the Haynes)

Stupid question, but have you double checked to make sure your clutch interlock is working?

KOEO = key off engine off...someone else can tell u for sure but if u have a code reader and/or booklet there should be instructions for running the test suggested by your cd

from there u can get the code(s) that tell u clear as mud what may be causing your problem

i was gonna say take the car to autozone but duh on my part

With the voltmeter back where it was turn the key to the sprung 'crank' position, this is the only position you should get a reading on the meter,just run does not supply power to the sol.....