New solenoid bad?
 

Hello, all. I've been trying to diagnose a problem with my 1992 GXT-804 Workhorse. It wouldn't start one day, so I began testing connections from the battery forward and thought I found a bad solenoid, but now I'm not sure.

With a voltmeter and the original, suspected bad solenoid in, I got ~12v at the big post straight from the battery, and about the same voltage at the key switch, micro switch at the pedal, and all the way back to the little solenoid post from the pedal switch. It seems to be making a complete loop all the way back, but there's no clicking of the solenoid. I figured it was an easy fix, so I bought a new, but cheap solenoid for it and attached everything exactly the same way (took pics to be sure).

The new solenoid does nothing, just like the original I pulled out. Strangely, the headlights don't work now, either. They were working before I pulled the original solenoid out. It's possible the switch just quit working and its not important at this point unless its related to the current (haha) problem. All the contacts have been cleaned and everything is tightened down properly.

The new cheap solenoid was $17 from eBay, and has no marking or labels on it. The original one had 'BATT' stamped into the case by the big post, so I oriented the new one the same way. The new one looks the same as the original, and would be difficult to hook it up backwards.

Is there a way to test this new solenoid with a 12v source while outside the engine bay to see if it works?

Re: New solenoid bad?
 

Run a heavy duty ground cable from negative post on battery to frame of starter/generator . See if it starts

Re: New solenoid bad?
 

Are you getting 12 volts on the starter side of the solenoid when the pedal is pushed?

Re: New solenoid bad?
 

No, I am not. The wire that attaches to a small post has 12v when the pedal is pushed, but it doesn't seem to activate the solenoid.

Re: New solenoid bad?
 

Was your original solenoid getting 12 volts when you pushed the pedal ?

Re: New solenoid bad?
 

To be sure, I just swapped the old one back in and it acts the same way. 12v at the end of the wire with the pedal pushed, but the big post doesn't show any voltage at all. Same as the 'new' one.

Re: New solenoid bad?
 

You should have two small studs on the solenoid. One has got to be grounded. Have you checked to see ?

Re: New solenoid bad?
 

Yes, one of the small posts is grounded and those contacts are nice and clean.

Re: New solenoid bad?
 

I have had problems just like yours. Thats why I posted what I did on my 1st post. The solenoid is very easy to test. One small post is grounded and the other you supply 12 volts to it. That makes current flow from one side of the large posts to the other.
You can test one on the workbench
See if this might help. May not be yours exactly but close I think ?

Re: New solenoid bad?
 

Ahhh, I see now. I didn't understand your first post clearly. Mine is a little different.

Attaching the two small posts to a tested 12v battery result in nothing at all. No clicking. I guess that settles it.

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