What's the two terminals on the sidewall for?

[nitro71]

Was wondering what the device that your battery connects to and the alternator connects to on the sidewall is? Think it has two terminals on it?

My X died yesterday and think it's the alternator or bat. Going to check the alternator field gen fuse if I can find it first off. Want to know what that piece is on the sidewall so I can effectively trouble shoot everything.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Are you talking about the starter solenoid?

Round thing with a bunch of wires bolted to it?

 

[nitro71]

Thank you very much! Must be what it is. It's the round part on the sidewall that the battery positive cable attaches to. Has a special cable. Alternator attaches to it also.

 

[Maniak]

and It looks like this?

If so, this is what Joe Dirt was talking about...

Btw.. the cables aren't "special".. As you can see, I put in my own cables and even used ground lugs as connectors (ground lugs you use in a house circuit breaker box).. We don't have rust around here so the bare wire isn't hurting anything.. Even after many years..

~Mark

 

[nitro71]

Thanks man! Had to put paper and tape up the windows last night to keep the damn cats out. Hope it's nothing to expensive. My girl friend is taking me to pull n save tommorow to get parts.

 

[konstan]

Yep, starter solenoid. On Fords, just like on old tractors, its a separate device, easily accessible. On Chevys its a part of the starter...

 

[X6StringerX]

If I'm not mistaken, my 5.0's starter had the solenoid attached to it. At least, I guess that's what it was. It left me stranded a gas station about 10 miles from my house one night. I took the starter off the next day to find that there was a wire about 2 inches long that ran from the starter to another little cylindrical thing on the side of the starter. The wire was exposed to the elements and had turned green and fell apart. NAPA told me I would have to buy a new starter, but I took it home and disassembled it so I could solder in a new wire. It worked like a charm after that and I saved myself some major cash.

 

[Maniak]

There is also a solenoid on the starter on the 1st gens.. But when that one goes you just replace the starter.. Also, they call it something different..

Also, some old school tractors didn't even have starter solenoids. . The power went right from the battery through a push button switch to the starter. At least that's how it is supposed to be on our old 1940 Farmall H tractor.

~Mark

 

[konstan]

Also, some old school tractors didn't even have starter solenoids. . The power went right from the battery through a push button switch to the starter. At least that's how it is supposed to be on our old 1940 Farmall H tractor.
~Mark

Hmm... My M has a solenoid... I think you are right though, some just had a big manuall open/close switch, with sparks and everything