Where does the purple wire go exactly?

[edpdx]

I have just finished installing new 2g battery cables. including a new 2g Ground cable. A new starter, and starter relay are also in place- first start... CLACK! No cranking of any kind. Batteries are new and charged.

I hear and feel the relay under the dash open to complete the circuit, so I assume power is going into it. Where does it go to on the way to the starter solenoid?

Could it be a lost connection inside of the fuse block junction box?. How do I test to see if 24 volts are getting to the starter solenoid cause I assume it is getting power from the Starter relay; but is not getting to the solenoid .

 

[Matt65]

How do I test to see if 24 volts are getting to the starter solenoid cause I assume it is getting power from the Starter relay; but is not getting to the solenoid .

I would get an assistant to attempt to crank while I use my multimeter at the starter solenoid and measure the voltage, if there is any.

 

[M1008driver]

Check your starter connections too. I read someone else had that problem before.

 

[sierrajcharlie]

If I remember right the purple goes from the starter relay under the dash to the starter solenoid. It's shown in the -20 manual wiring diagrams. The red at the starter relay comes from the 24 volt bus bar. The relay can click but that doesn't mean it's getting the 24 volts, just the 12 volt ignition circuit to close the relay. I'd check at the relay to make sure you've got 24 volts there, in and out. If no voltage on the red, check at the bus bar to make sure it didn't get left off or broken. If I'm wrong hopefully somebody will chime in.

 

[patracy]

Correct, there's 24V from the bus bar. That feeds into the relay. The starter signal from the column feeds to the relay as well. When you crank the truck 12V from the column energizes the relay completing the circuit from the bus bar to the 24v solenoid on the starter. Might want to do the "doghead relay" mod.

 

[ranchhopper]

Check the plastic connector body at the starter on the purple wire I had one that had current to the plastic body but not to the metal connector ring took the end off crimped on a new one and it started right up.

 

[Warthog]

The purple wire comes from the Starter relay under the dash, to the fusebox firewall connection, into the engine compartment, across the back of the engine and then down to the starter.

You can unscrew the center bold of the engine compartment wiring block, pull the connector apart and check the connections.

You will find that the connectors are covered in a black goo. I'm assuming it was electrocal grease at one point.

I like to clean them with Electrical Contact Cleaner.

You can find the wire by counting the rows and columns from the diagram picture.

I don't have the pics today but I will post them from work tomorrow.

 

[edpdx]

Dry weather in the PNW- Woohoo!

Matt65- I do have a multimeter and am going to see if the problem lies with the starter relay next.

M1008driver/ranchhopper, all the concerned cables are new and/or have new soldered/sleeved connectors.

sierrajcharlie, Thanks, I will check/clean the red 24v supply from the buss bar. By-the-way- Sierracharlie great user name... very In Country.

Patracy, Doghead relay done last year. Have changed out the NAPA relay as spec'd 4 time- they are all probably still good. Will trace back the purple w/white to see if it is solid with good connections.

Warthog, Thanks for the routing info. I ran into wires near the fuse block under the dash- EVERY ONE of them were purple there must have been forty! I'm kidding, of course. I just wanted to be sure that the purple wire that runs from the starter relay to the solenoid wasn't taking any side trips, or involved in any other circuits along the way before I move on and call it good. I'll clean the black goo (you have no idea how much I hate that word [the later] ). I am guessing that the starter relay is insulated- hence the ground wire. I have never checked the condition of the ground, so that's on the list as well. Wish me luck gents... I'm going in.

 

[doghead]

Be sure your engine/starter has a good ground. Have you replaced the ground strap?

 

[dstang97]

Did you install the extra ford relay you were going to do? When I got my hacked up M1008 it was so bad I had to make my own jumpers to get everything to work. May not be a bad Idea to rule stuff out. Really need to get the multi meter out and see whats going on.

 

[edpdx]

Doghead, I did not replace the grounding strap recently; but did clean it thoroughly a few months ago. I did add another ground wire to the starter bracket at the front end of the starter yesterday when the new starter was installed. It is attached to the chassis with a star washer on each end- I only used a 10 or 12 g wire- is this too light? Between this added one, the original one that is attached above the rear passenger side intake, and the starter bolts I would think that is enough ground? I will add a test ground with a heavy jumper cable tomorrow to verify.

dstang, I did add the Ford solenoid. and was certain I would get a good start. I routed it this way:

• New section of purple wire from the exterior Firewall Connector Plug (FCP) to the the starter solenoid- there is a jumper from that "S" terminal to the TOP battery power feed lug.
• A wire (8g) runs from the bottom lug where the starter strap has been disconnected, runs to the "S" terminal on a 24 volt Ford relay mounted where ford usually mounts them on the passenger side fender well.
• The 24v cable that usually runs to the starter goes to the Ford relay
• Another 2g wire runs from the Ford relay to the starter motor strap that was disconnected from the stock solenoid
• A ground is also attached to the "I" terminal on the Ford relay and is attached to the fender well with a starred washer.

Since my last post I pulled the starter relay down and tested:
The ground lead for continuity to ground: GOOD.
The purple with white wire is showing 10.38 volts when the key is turned to START
The RED lead shows 24volts.
The Purple lead shows 24v when the key is turned to START.


Also:

• I tested the Purple lead at the starter- ZERO v
• The Purple lead at the FCP, outside of the fuseblock- .04v
• I unbolted the fuse block harness at the FCP (engine bay) and used wire brush and contact cleaner to clean spades and all connectors- still NO START

It looks like the purple wire between the starter relay and the fuseblock is the problem. I am tracing it in the morning. Does it go from the relay to the fuse block directly, or is there another circuit somewhere between the two?


If the purple wire is not part of another circuit between the relay and the fuse block, I should be able to run a new wire from the relay to the starter without having to go through the fuseblock right?

 

[doghead]

If the purple wire is not part of another circuit between the relay and the fuse block, I should be able to run a new wire from the relay to the starter without having to go through the fuseblock right?

Yes, and I think this is your no start/crank problem.

I only used a 10 or 12 g wire- is this too light

Yes, too light, if it were the only ground(but in your case, it is not the only ground).

 

[dstang97]

Jump the starter to see if it even works. Then go from there. What year is your truck?

 

[doghead]

I did add the Ford solenoid. and was certain I would get a good start. I routed it this way:

• New section of purple wire from the exterior fuse block to the the starter solenoid- there is a jumper from that "S" terminal to the TOP battery power feed lug.
• A wire (8g) runs from the bottom lug where the starter strap has been disconnected, runs to the "S" terminal on a 24 volt Ford relay mounted where ford usually mounts them on the passenger side fender well.
• The 24v cable that usually runs to the starter goes to the Ford relay
• Another 2g wire runs from the Ford relay to the starter motor strap that was disconnected from the stock solenoid
• A ground is also attached to the "I" terminal on the Ford relay and is attached to the fender well with a starred washer.

I'm a bit confused on how you did this but, I think your wired wrong for this to work.

 

[Warthog]

The purple wire is not part of the fuse box but IS part of the firewall connector plug. The fusebox just rests on top in the plug.

The RED 24v feed for the starter relay comes into the firewall connector, splits into two wires. One fedding the relay and one feeding the24v fuse in the fusebox.

At the relay the PURPLE wire comes back to the firwall plug, thru thr firewall and then crosses the back of the engine. It is insied the wiring loom. It then goes donw to the starter

 

[edpdx]

I added a 4 gauge ground wire from the battery to the block. Clack!

I cleaned the purple wire connector from behind the fuse block. Clack!

I added a jumper directly from the starter relay to the starter solenoid. Clack!

I changed ground wire at the starter relay to be sure. Clack! Its sounds like a Chinese duck under my dash!

I will swap in some of my other relays- but they have all been in before, so they are not know good.

How do I test if the relay is good?

 

[doghead]

To test, you can do a no load test by energizing it(closing the relay) and measure the resistance. You want little to no resistance.

To do a Load test, do the same but with it wired into the system. Measure the voltage in and out of the relay. Any drop indicates bad.

 

[edpdx]

doghead, I appreciate the help. I am just learning how a solenoid works. Can you expound a little on the test procedure please? I am unclear on the IN and OUT points?

 

[73m819]

it is a electro/machanical switch

 

[Warthog]

Google "relay diagram"

Works under the same theory for the starter solenoid