950 ford wiring question...

[CCROCHET]

1950 ford wiring question...

Ok guys im almost read to turn over the engine and check all my wiring in my 1950 ford f1 with a 351 w. My question is how is the battery hooked up....mainly the power. I have the ground hooked up the the block as ut should be but my question is where does the power bolt to? does it bolt to the solenoid inbetween the battery and the starter?

If you need pics i can get them....

thanks,

 

[Toad]

I always ground the battery to the frame and then ground the motor to the frame with the same size cables but I guess either way is alright. On a Ford, the positive goes to the solenoid and then to the starter. Ford wiring diagrams are everywhere online and you can even get them from most wiring harness companies, EZ, Rebel etc.

Toad

 

[HOT40ROD]

This the best I can find. The battery goes on the large terminal opposite the starter lead.

If you are holding the solenoid with the bracket to the rear, The battery will hook to the terminal on the left and the starter lead will hook to the terminal on the right,

 

[CCROCHET]

ok guys. both post contradict each other. Toad..that is how I have it wired up right now. and maks the most sense to me.Hot4rod....you have it backwards I think....Ill let you guys know how it goes.

 

[HOT40ROD]

We basically said the same think I just went into detail how to hook up the solenoid .

The ground goes to the motor and frame and the positive goes to the solenoid. The battery side of the solenoid is on the left large terminal with the bracket to the rear. And the starter lead goes from the right large terminal to the stater terminal. The switch wire goes to the small terminal on the left of the solenoid if the solenoid has two small terminals. Been working on Ford for over 30 years and also race them.

 

[HOT40ROD]

Here you go.

 

[CCROCHET]

OK.well no matter how I hooked it up it still wouldnt start the truck. I can jump it from battery side of the solenoid to the starter side and it will start. I can do it also from the wire to the starter and get it to start. When I bought the truck it came with this (new) starter solenoid but do not know if it is actually good. everything is tell me that it isnt good. If I can jump it both ways by skipping the solenoid then im guessing its bad. right?

hot40rod...what do the red wires on the batter leads go to? My universal key switch has 4 post. is that wrong? it has 4 wires.(ignition , battery, acc, and starter in the middle)

so the 3 wires(ignition,battery abd starter) wires hook to the starter solenoid?. I have the battery hooked to the battery lead side, I have the ign wire hooked to the left post and the starter wire hooked to the right post(the starter side of the solenoid)

Im sorry I dnt have pics right now but will have some this weekend.

 

[Sam_Fear]

On the solenoid:

One large terminal will have your high tension lead from the battery and a lead going to the BATTERY side of your key switch. The other large terminal will have the high tension lead to your starter. There will also be one or two small terminals - one of those needs the wire from the START side of the key switch hooked to it. The IGNITION wire needs to go to the distributor (assuming you are using a points dist.)

On a Ford relay, the solenoid MUST be grounded through the mounting screws!!! So the body it is mounted to must be grounded to the battery to complete the circuit.

How the relay works inside:

 

[CCROCHET]

You sir might have just solved my problem. That is one thing that it is not(grounded to the body) It will be the first thing i do when I work on the truck next. lets hope that works

 

[Sam_Fear]

I edited my previous post several times so yo might want to re-read it just in case you didn't get the last version.

Also, some of the cheap aftermarket (Chinese junk) relays will turn on, but won't shut off. If that happens, smack it real quick with something like a screwdriver handle and go get a OEM MotorCraft one off a old Ford truck at the junkyard. Ask me how I know....

And good luck...

 

[CCROCHET]

Sounds good. Im not sure what kind it is....knowing the PO its probably the cheap stuff....

 

[HOT40ROD]

The red wires under the battery lead are the charging system and the hot lead to the switch and fuse panel.

If you are trying to jump the solenoid you need to jump the battery side with the first small terminal or the wire I have marked switch wire in the picture.

Also the solenoid needs to be grounded and yes there are issues with the china ones. I try to find all the ones I can in the junk yards. or the US made ones.