Just wondering, my car is pretty frankensteined from the previous owner, with a bunch of mickey mouse in that too...
Anyway, i've had some problems with the electrical, (passenger window stops working, then starts, try to start the car and feels like no charge, ie. lights dim, but nothing... no electrical power at all... etc...) anyway, to track down one problem, I was checking the wiring to the starter solonoid, and was wondering what the wiring was supposed to be? I'm assuming a main 8AWG or so from the battery directly, then negative goes...? looks like the negative terminal has a nut on it, which holds a metal bracket which is bolted directly to the engine block... does this function as the ground? if so mine is not bolted into the block (possible problem?) but the car usually starts, only a few times has it not, I found a wire that looks like it came up from the negative, and went into a 4 wire plug, then one of those wires also went to a ground, I screwed that into the firewall, and the car started (i'm thinking a 16AWG starter ground wire is too small....)
anyway, after all that rambling:
Does anyone know what the wiring to the started/solonoid is supposed to be?
I should be able to eventually track down the rest of the wiring problems, probably by rewiring most of the car....
Thanks -J

 

Hello Sonix,

You will have the big red wire from the positive battery post to the starter solenoid, you will also have 2 or 3 fusible links (depends on car model & year) on that same post with the battery cable. You will have a purple wire on the small post on the starter solenoid that is marked "S". This wire goes to the park/neutral switch if an automatic or the clutch start switch if a manual. There is no negative wire going to the starter solenoid as it grounds to the engine.

 

ok, sounds good, so is the grounding wires internal, and are grounded through the mounting bolts ? or is there another terminal next to the positive one, that would be negative, and that grounds via a bracket that would be bolted to the block?
It looks like 2 terminals on the starter, one positive, with a bunch of wires, then the second I assume would be negative, and would be bolted to the block to be the ground correct?

 

The starter grounds through the bolts so it doesnt need a ground wire. The big wire is the power feed for the starter and most of the car. The smaller wire is what tells the starter to crank over. It is a power source from the ignition.