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How is the Solenoid grounded?

Mike Armstrong

Bronze Level Sponsor
My SV still has its original solenoid. The other day when I turned the key nothing happened (well, the electric fuel pumped ran, good battery charge and connections) so from owning previous vehicles the have had this symptom I smacked the solenoid, tried it again and it the starter kicked right over.

I was thinking that that solenoid is so old it probably needs to be replaced. But then again, with good connections and battery power don't most solenoid either work or they don't? I'm wondering if it's just a bad ground. Looking at the SV wiring diagram I don't see an obvious ground connection (wire). Does that mean the body of the solenoid is ground to the chassis via its firewall screws/bolts?

If so, that'd be a good source for it being dead (at times).
 

Tom H

Platinum Level Sponsor
Two possibilities if your solenoid works after hitting it:
1) It's not well grounded- the mounting screws through the body are the ground
2) The connection where the red /white wire connects is loose. That connector that is part of the solenoid, has the internal wire soldered to the connector base. I have had that soldered connection go bad. If that connector is a little loose and you can wiggle it a bot, it is quite likely that it needs to be re-soldered.

Tom
 

Mike Armstrong

Bronze Level Sponsor
Two possibilities if your solenoid works after hitting it:
1) It's not well grounded- the mounting screws through the body are the ground
2) The connection where the red /white wire connects is loose. That connector that is part of the solenoid, has the internal wire soldered to the connector base. I have had that soldered connection go bad. If that connector is a little loose and you can wiggle it a bot, it is quite likely that it needs to be re-soldered.

Tom

Thank you Tom.
 
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