So i have a 1955 F100 and when I hook a battery to it and hit the starter button nothing happens.... The engine is free, i can turn it over by hand, and I bench tested the starter. Im pretty sure this is something in the wiring (wiring is my worst enemy), can anyone help? Where do the wires from the starter button go? Also, how can i test a starter selonoid to see if it is the problem?
I'm thinking starter button is bad. Pull the wires off the button and bypass it. Just touch the wires together and see if that works. If it does, then button is bad. Wires from button go to key to button to starter. If aboue works, replace button. Make sure you follow all safety procedures etc. Don't have it in gear.
As voodoo warned make sure it not in gear and chock the wheels. If your electrical system is your enemy, is the battery dead? Is there power to the start button? When the starter button is depressed is there power to the solenoid? You said no click at the solenoid so check for power there. Is the batty cable good to the starter? A simple test light can be made with a light bulb. Get a bulb socket and a bulb that works and your in business. Attach one wire to the battery and start chasing your problem. Good luck and try to remember this is suppose to be the fun part.
Is the truck still 6V? If so I believe it still had a ground out style solinoid. Anyway, small terninal on sol. try putting power to it see if the thing turns over or sol. clicks. If not ground the small terminal and see what it does. Several things could be wrong here bad battery,cables ,starter probs. And more than one at the same time. Old time methoid -cross both solinoid terminals with the handles of a pair of pliers. If battery and cables and starter are all working it should crank.
Truck is a 6v and battery is charged. tried putting power and ground to the little post on the solenoid and nothing happened (i did get a little spark when i powered it). I jumped the two big posts on the solenoid with jumper cables and got a 1 second crank and a lot of sparks...
Sucess, I got it to turn over. Threw the battery on the charger and used pliers to jump the solenoid instead of jumper cables and it turns! Now the question is why wont it turn with the starter button?
Sounds like the solenoid has seen better days. You might try test lamp at the small wire going (but not connected) to the small terminal on the solenoid. Connect the lamp (and to a good ground) and try the starter button to see if the lamp lights. (If it lights then the solenoid needs a good ground at it's bracket. Just because it is mounted to the fender does not necesarily guarantee a good ground. You may need to check ground straps to the fender or body or both.) If it does not light then try taking the lamp grounding clip and connect to battery cable terminal of solenoid. With the other end of the lamp still connected to the small wire, hit the starter button again. If it lights then the solenoid is a ground actuated solenoid, and the bracket is not electrically connected internally.
Some body needs to start an Old School school for cars and trucks........as I read thru the post daily I cant belive how many guys dont know basic theory and trouble shooting of this stuff and are trying to work on it and sitting at a keyboard trying to tell someone how to work on it........HOLY CRAP
I wish I had internet and hamb back 40+ years ago.. then I could have fixed the death wobble in my first old hotrod that was poory built in the 50s.
Motoman, If this is the truck you bought from me I was told it was a 12v system by the previous owner.
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