Foxbody Starter Solenoid troubleshooting...

[danielhv]

New solenoid, not getting a signal to start when the key is turned. I can jump 12 volts to the little top terminal and it will pull the solenoid in and start.... but Im not getting a 12v signal at the little red / blue wire that connects to that top terminal.

Where do I start trouble shooting this? The wire has no breaks in it before it goes into the loom...

[Ldecharmoy]

New solenoid, not getting a signal to start when the key is turned. I can jump 12 volts to the little top terminal and it will pull the solenoid in and start.... but Im not getting a 12v signal at the little red / blue wire that connects to that top terminal.

Where do I start trouble shooting this? The wire has no breaks in it before it goes into the loom...

make sure you have it on the right side, just saying.....

[danielhv]

make sure you have it on the right side, just saying.....

It only has one small terminal... and like I said, I can short 12v to the small terminal, and it engages... but I'm not getting that 12v signal from the ignition switch...

[Ldecharmoy]

It only has one small terminal... and like I said, I can short 12v to the small terminal, and it engages... but I'm not getting that 12v signal from the ignition switch...

does it have a warranty? Get a different one and try to again

[danielhv]

does it have a warranty? Get a different one and try to again

I don't really feel like you're getting me here....

The solenoid works fine... I'm trouble shooting the signal wire that tells the solenoid you are wanting to start the car... I'm not getting 12v on the signal wire when the key is turned to start. The signal wire connects to the small terminal on the solenoid. If I manually put 12v on the small terminal, it engages the solenoid and starts the car, therefore I know the solenoid is good, and my problem is that I'm not getting 12v when I turn the key.

[Ldecharmoy]

I don't really feel like you're getting me here....

The solenoid works fine... I'm trouble shooting the signal wire that tells the solenoid you are wanting to start the car... I'm not getting 12v on the signal wire when the key is turned to start. The signal wire connects to the small terminal on the solenoid. If I manually put 12v on the small terminal, it engages the solenoid and starts the car, therefore I know the solenoid is good, and my problem is that I'm not getting 12v when I turn the key.

ya i know what terminals you were talking about, but sorry, i mis-read that the small post WASNT getting signal.



That being said, i was suggest chasing that wire, making sure it isnt cut somewhere, or make sure you are getting a good connect with that small wire.


I had to buy a new wire because the boot on mine wasn't keeping the wire on.

[red95gts]

Don't have the wiring diagrams in front of me, but I believe that signal is generated by the ignition switch itself. Have you used a volt meter to verify you aren't getting 12V at the wire?

I'd check the wiring at the ignition switch and/or replace the ignition switch

[91CoupeMike]

Tilt steering? Check the wires in the steering collumn. Could also be a bad ign switch.

[FoxBodyNick]

is this a T5 car? if so, it can be the clutch switch.

[Coupe81]

Here you go


I bet it's the white/pink wire at the ignition switch or the switch itself.

[FoxBodyNick]

If he is able to put the key in the on position and jump it from the solenoid on the fender wouldn't that mean the ignition switch is working properly?? When starting from the solenoid without the key in the on position the motor would just turn without any ignition at all.

[91CoupeMike]

If he is able to put the key in the on position and jump it from the solenoid on the fender wouldn't that mean the ignition switch is working properly?? When starting from the solenoid without the key in the on position the motor would just turn without any ignition at all.

That would mean the ignition wasn't putting power in the "on" position. When you go to crank it sends the signal to the solenoid wire.

[FoxBodyNick]

That would mean the ignition wasn't putting power in the "on" position. When you go to crank it sends the signal to the solenoid wire.

right... so if it is in the on position and he cant crank it up from the fender solenoid then i would say its the ignition switch. If he can put it in the on position and crank it up from the solenoid then I would say it is fine.

You know I have experience with this!

[91CoupeMike]

right... so if it is in the on position and he cant crank it up from the fender solenoid then i would say its the ignition switch. If he can put it in the on position and crank it up from the solenoid then I would say it is fine.

You know I have experience with this!

It could be either or big cat!

The clutch switch WILL cause this to happen, but IIRC the cars with tilt steering had a problem with some wiring in the column. I remember skimming through a write up on the "tilt steering fix it's" but didnt pay much attention because my car doesn't have it. I would think the clutch switch would be more a more common problem, but it could also be the ignition switch not sending signal in the start postistion, IE bad wire between the ignition switch and the solenoid.

My car is a 5 speed automatic car so I have no worries lol!

[FoxBodyNick]

My car is a 5 speed automatic car so I have no worries lol!

might want to clarify that its a T5 conversion from an auto... some might be