DaveDenlinger
Scotty, I put a new solenoid (fender-mounted) in my 1973 Ford F100, and when I go to attach the battery cables, the truck starts (w/o the key in the ignition) and the starter screams and takes awhile to stop spinning when I take off the battery cables. Is the solenoid locked (should I hit it w/ a hammer?)? Or is the ignition switch bad? Or something else? Thank you.
If you leave the I wire lead from the ignition off and the starter engages then the starter solenoid relay is bad OR you're wiring it incorrectly.
Thanks @Believe231 - If I leave the ignition wire off the solenoid (at the I terminal) and the car starts w/o the key in the ignition, does this tell me I have a bad solenoid or a bad ignition coil/switch?
It could be a faulty solenoid, assuming you installed it correctly, see if you can find a Motorcraft brand one next time. Also, leave the ignition wire off the solenoid to test to see if it's a bad solenoid. If it's then fine and then activates when connecting the ignition lead wire, then look for a bad ignition switch or a short to B+ on that lead wire.
