Re: Need Help, Engine Won't Start
Bryan,<br />I would expect the ground wire to be at some voltage above ground potential if you disconnected it from the battery ground. Remember, the entire circuit is at 12VDC (with the key ON) until the ground wire is grounded to the negative terminal of the battery. <br /><br />Example:<br /><br />Start with a wire coming from the +12VDC battery terminal. This goes to a normally open switch, from this switch it goes to a load, say a light bulb, from the light bulb, it goes back to ground. When the normally open switch is closed, the voltage flows to the light bulb (the load) and completes the circuit to ground, the light bulb lights.<br /><br />If you un-ground the ground wire, the voltage floats back up to 12VDC, this is normal. The ground wire (back to the load, the light bulb) will read zero volts ONLY when it's connected to -12VDC (battery negative). To test your connections , try this.<br /><br />RE-connect the ground wire.<br />Turn switch to ON position.<br />Set test meter to read DC voltage.<br />Put black test meter lead on negative post of battery.<br />On ground wire, skin back insulation a small amount about 6" from ground wire terminal.<br />Put red test meter lead on this bare section of exposed wire.<br /><br />If you read voltage, then your ground terminal lug is faulty, replace the ground wire terminal lug.<br /><br />If you read zero volts, then the ground lug is good.<br /><br />As for the solenoid. JB asked if you hear a 'click' from the solenoid when you turn the key to the start position. If you don't hear a click, then one or more of a couple things are happening. <br /><br />1. Defective solenoid<br />2. Bad ground wire on solenoid<br />3. No voltage from start switch<br /><br />First, put red test meter lead to Battery side of solenoid, black side of test meter lead to negative post on battery, you should read 12VDC. If you don't read 12VDC, check connections at +Battery and battery side of solenoid for bad connections, repair as necessary.<br /><br />Next , test solenoid ground terminal.<br />Put red test meter lead on +Battery post<br />Put black test meter lead on ground post of solenoid<br />You should read 12VDC, if not, check solenoid ground wire, repair as necessary.<br /><br />Next check solenoid lead to ignition switch.<br />Put black test meter lead on - Battery post<br />Put red test meter lead to Ign. switch terminal on solenoid.<br />Turn Ign. switch to start position.<br />You should read 12VDC on meter ( and head the solenoid 'click')<br />If you don't read 12VDC on meter , trace wire back to Ign. switch for open wire OR bad ign. switch.<br /><br />If the above connections are good , you should hear a click from the solenoid when you turn the ign. switch to the start position.<br /><br />If you do hear the click but have no starter, a couple more tests are in order.<br />The next test is in 2 parts. The first , tests the solenoid contacts, the 2nd tests the starter itself.<br /><br />Disconnect the wire from the solenoid going to the starter.<br />Put red test meter lead on solenoid starter post.<br />Put the black test meter lead on -Battery post.<br />Turn ign. switch to start position.<br />You should hear the solenoid 'click' and read 12VDC on your meter.<br />This confirms that the solenoid is closing and is passing voltage to the starter terminal. If you read zero volts, replace solenoid.<br /><br />Next , lets test the starter circuit itself.<br /><br />Re-connect starter wire to solenoid.<br />Put red test meter lead to starter side of solenoid.<br />Put black test meter lead to -Battery post<br />Turn ign switch to start position.<br />You should read positive voltage going to starter and starter should spin. <br />If starter does not spin, you can have one or more of the following problems:<br /><br />A bad ground connection for the starter.<br />The starter windings can be open circuit. <br />Open wire from solenoid TO the starter.<br /><br />The worse case scenario is that the starter is dead shorted to ground. If this is the case, when you turn the ign. key, the solenoid is, in effect, connecting your battery directly to ground, and that's not good. Under this condition,the full potiential (amperage)of the battery will go across the solenoid contacts, possibly burning them open, or draining the battery in very short order. The solenoid would get very hot, very fast!
