1948 Ford Verification

B

Blase

Senior Member
If I touch the neg. battery post on a 1948 ford with a wire clip at one end and a light at the order end to the solenoid and the light goes on, does this mean power is going to the solenoid. If so , can a touch the solenoid with the wire clip and the touch the coil will the light go on?
 
Using a light bulb to check continuity can be a bit tricky. When the light illuminates it only means there is enough current passing through the circuit to light it. If you place the light in series with a high enough resistance the light will not illuminate. But that does not mean the high resistance is open circuit. Plus all of this depends upon the size of the light bulb used, since higher wattage light bulbs require more current to illuminate.
Suggest you tell us what your trying to test and what the problem appears to be.
 
Have power from battery to solenoid, to coil, to reg., and relay horn switch, ignition switch. Have no contact from starter button, no lights nothing. checked ground from battery cable to block and from firewall to block. looking for some answers and help.
 
The small terminal on the solenoid should have power to it from an internal connection to the large terminal of the solenoid where the cable from the battery is connected. The starter button circuit provides the ground to the solenoid pull-in coil to activate the cranking circuit. So, if you connected your test lamp between the small terminal on the solenoid and ground it should light the test lamp.

Attached is a wiring schematic from Mac Van Pelt’s website for 1946-48 Fords.
http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/...pics/Flathead_Electrical_wiring1946-48car.jpg

Also, if you ground the small terminal on the solenoid it should engage the solenoid and crank the engine, so keep everything clear of the moving parts and have the car in neutral before performing this test.

Good luck, let us know what happens.
 
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