Re: starter solenoid - testing & wiring diagram
The kill switch kills the engine when the switch is activated (contacts closed). So you can defeat it by simply disconnecting the wires. I have no idea why you'd want to do that however. As for the solenoid there is no mystery. There are two large posts on the solenoid. Ford or otherwise. The positive battery cable goes to one of them. The cable from the large post on the starter goes to the other one. If the solenoid has two small posts, one of them is ground and is grounded to the engine block. If there is only one small terminal, the case of the solenoid must be grounded to the block. The other one goes to the ignition switch "S": terminal. To test the system, have someone turn the key to START while you check for voltage on the small terminal. If there is voltage at that terminal, then check the large post going to the starter. If there is voltage there the solenoid is working and the starter or the short cable is bad or the connections are not tight. If there is no voltage at that terminal, check the other large terminal. The key does not have to be in the START position for this test. If there is no voltage present, the battery is dead or the cables are bad or loose, Voltage at that terminal but not at the other large terminal with the key in the start position indicates the solenoid is bad. On the first test (key in START, testing small terminal) if you get no voltage, there is whole host of possibilities ranging from dead battery, bad battery cables, bad ignition switch, bad harness, bad connection at harness connector on the key switch or at the engine.