Burning through starter solenoids, help!

[fordman76367]

I recently purchased a 79 bronco with a 460 swapped in, she runs like a champ, but I've had it a week and gone thru 4 starter solenoids and replaced a brand new optima red top battery. The starter is new, alternator is new, and all wiring to/from them is new. It all appears to be wired correctly and connections are secure... I just don't under how it keeps going through them. I'm buying the best that autozone and Oreillys have, so I'm not throwing cheapo's in it. Maybe I've got a short or bad ground somewhere causing them to burn out, and kill my battery when they do. Help or enlightenment would be great, thanks yall.

 

[m78]

You're going to have to follow the wiring on a schematic to make sure its correct.

http://www.fordtruckfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29167

 

[holtz]

That sad truth is all our beloved gen 6 vehicles are 40 years old and wiring does break down over a long period of time and also the factor of people cutting and splicing into the original harness, your best bet is to spend the money and get yourself a complete harness kit so you know it's all new and also upgraded fuse block.

 

[DNFXDLI]

I recently purchased a 79 bronco with a 460 swapped in, she runs like a champ, but I've had it a week and gone thru 4 starter solenoids and replaced a brand new optima red top battery. The starter is new, alternator is new, and all wiring to/from them is new. It all appears to be wired correctly and connections are secure... I just don't under how it keeps going through them. I'm buying the best that autozone and Oreillys have, so I'm not throwing cheapo's in it. Maybe I've got a short or bad ground somewhere causing them to burn out, and kill my battery when they do. Help or enlightenment would be great, thanks yall.

Could be just simply bad luck....if you have replaced all that you said you have, there should be no reason for them to burn out..they are only on for the time of cranking.
If the solenoid stays closed, the starter stays engaged....so as far as a short etc., that's not likely to be the issue.

 

[fordman76367]

I had one stay shut before it went out later that day, I gave it a tap and it cut off and acted right. I'm gonna take a look over all the wires again and see if I missed anything.

 

[DNFXDLI]

If it is staying closed....the starter should be engaging....was that the case?

 

[fordman76367]

No, that only happened once, and I smacked it and went back to acting right for a couple hours before it completely gave out. I don't understand how it's completely killing a battery when they do randomly decide to burn up. Twice now it's killed two of the best battery on the market. I'm thinking there has to be something grounding out somewhere and killing it all.

 

[DNFXDLI]

No, that only happened once, and I smacked it and went back to acting right for a couple hours before it completely gave out. I don't understand how it's completely killing a battery when they do randomly decide to burn up. Twice now it's killed two of the best battery on the market. I'm thinking there has to be something grounding out somewhere and killing it all.

I don't know what to tell you....the coil of the solenoid is energized by the start on the ignition...so the only thing that the solenoid controls is the starter...if the solenoid is sticking closed, then the starter will stay engaged plain and simple.

If you are killing batteries, then it sounds like a constant current draw from somewhere or a possible alternator/regulator issue.

 

[Mil1ion]

First off i call them starter relays like Ford does.

Imo..gms have solenoids.

Are you buying Motorcraft

or

Asian parts like blue streak ?

Buy or find a motorcraft or Standard brand relay.

You can get one used off any ford car as well.

The thing you're describing sounds weird because the relay serves three purposes.
Sends big voltage to starter drive.
Sends 13V to +terminal of coil with key in start.
Serves as a junction spot for power distribution from battery.

Where do you think the power of the battery is going ?
Is it just burning up the contacts inside ot but doesn't start a fire ?

 

[DNFXDLI]

How are you making out on this?

 

[jebadiah04]

from my experience a shorting out solenoid often times results in fried wires. Usually the big positive wire will get hot enough to cook the insulation right off it. If you are killing batteries id say you possibly have a short elsewhere thats putting a small (or semi large) drain on your system.

However, the wiring on these things is quite simple for the most part.

Ive purchased multiples of the best of napa orielies had to offer to have them all fail very quickly, pick up a ford one. Might be the problem is bad parts. sometimes those companies will get their parts from the same place, which had a bad run on them, so all of them are crap.

Ford usually doesn't do that.