Electrical question from someone who knows nothing

[UpNorth]

Hi all,

I have a 347 f.i. from BP in my Coupe that I am building (or trying to) and have a question:
There is a black wire from the solenoid to the starter...shouldn’t a black one should go from the starter to the battery or something else?

Can someone light up my candle?

TIA

[CraigS]

Can you provide a pic pls? I am surprised to read that you have a solenoid that is apparently separate from the starter. I thought they had disappeared long ago.

[UpNorth]

135920

[UpNorth]

Looks terrible but the best I can for now.

[jwhit]

top large goes to battery the small goes to ingition switch the small wire engages the starter
you would be better to use old style solenoid on firewall and run that down to starter and then use jumper
wire from small terminal to large just my opinion

[David Ferguson]

The short thick wire will energize the starter motor when the solenoid is activated. The solenoid also pushes the starter pinion gear into the flywheel ring gear, so you want that to happen before the starter starts to spin too much.

[edwardb]

As others have said, the large terminal on the LH side of your picture is the +12V cable from your battery. The smaller terminal at the bottom is from your start circuit. Blue wire if using the Ron Francis harness. It gets +12V from the ignition switch when you turn to the start position. Energizes the solenoid to move the gear into the flywheel and spin the starter motor. The connection on the RH side is battery power from the solenoid to the starter motor. Nothing you have to mess with. Make sure the nut is tight (probably is) and leave it alone. Nothing to do there. You don't need a separate solenoid with that starter.

[UpNorth]

Thanks guys.

[JohnMac]

Good answer...