Ford 3400/3000 solenoid wiring please help.. w/pictures

greymond

Member
So i am totally perplexed. I pulled the old solenoid off and wired up the new solenoid EXACTLY the same way and I get nothing. No click no nothing. With the old solenoid it would start but it was sticking so I decided to replace it. I have been looking at the wiring diagrams and it shows a reverse of the battery cable and the starter cable that what was on there before I swapped it. The solenoids look exactly the same and I cant imagine the posts are different from the old solenoid to the new one. And the cable that runs to the post it was on before just fits. I dont think that cable would stretch to the other post. I have no idea what is going on here. Can someone tell me what wire goes where?
 
here are the photos
a255238.jpg
 
(reply to post at 18:22:42 01/28/18)
Very likely not identical to the solenoid that you removed. Try swapping the wires on the two small posts. If that does not work, then remove all wires from the two small posts and jumper from battery large post to either small and at the same time jumper from other small post to ground. Be sure transmission is in neutral for safety. post back
 
It looks like you have a solenoid for a gas engine with a resistor bypass terminal. Is that what a Ford 3000 calls for? Seem odd to me.

Regardless - if you have it clicking then either the contacts are bad inside the solenoid, or you have an outside electrical issue. Check
voltage at both terminals when it ciicks and see if volatge is the same on both.

Four post solenoids for tractors usually use the two small posts for ground and starter-engage.


Four post solenoids for older cars and trucks usually use the two small posts for ignition-resistor-bypass (marked I) and starter-engage.
 
I put the old solenoid back on and wired it back the way it was when it worked. I then put the negative side of the batter cable on the battery and the tractor tried to start. Tried to start without the key in the ignition. I am reasonably certain I didnt kink or upset any wiring while I was doing all this so I have no idea what is goin on now.
The only thing I did was clean up the three wires in the photos below
Any thoughts would be great
<image src="http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/photos/mvphoto9727.jpg"/>
 

I just did this fix yesterday. Mine was doing the same thing and I tried to steal the silonoid off my 2000 to see if that was it- wrong silonoid. But in process i noticed the ground wire off the battery was set up way different. The ground on my 2000 went to the starter bolt. The ground on my 3400 went to the engine block. I pulled the ground wire off the 2000 and replaced the one on the 3400. So now the positive cable is hooked accordingly and the ground goes through one of the starter mouting bolts. Now it works. I. My case it was apparently jus a bad ground.
 
(quoted from post at 01:03:34 01/29/18)
I just did this fix yesterday. Mine was doing the same thing and I tried to steal the silonoid off my 2000 to see if that was it- wrong silonoid. But in process i noticed the ground wire off the battery was set up way different. The ground on my 2000 went to the starter bolt. The ground on my 3400 went to the engine block. I pulled the ground wire off the 2000 and replaced the one on the 3400. So now the positive cable is hooked accordingly and the ground goes through one of the starter mouting bolts. Now it works. I. My case it was apparently jus a bad ground.


heres the old new to the new
mvphoto9728.jpg
 


The ground on mine goes to the starter bolt on my 3400 It was like that when I got the tractor. Maybe that isn't a good ground? Do you have a picture of where your cable goes to the block?
thanks
 

Using your first pic as a reference- My wires are different colors but I have a white wire that mounts with the battery cable o. The same large post (right). My yellow wire goes to the left small post. My red wire goes from the small right post to the coil. And the large left post goes to the starter. Since yours are both yellow I'm not sure that helps.

Pretty sure the ground is supposed to be on the starter bolt.
 
on the old unit, one small terminal looks dirty as if it never had a wire on it???? What tractor are we really working on? Model? Gas or diesel?
 
actually one is brown and one is white with a stripe on it. Are you looking at the solenoid from outside the tractor in? the big post toward the back of the tractor is where your starter big cable wire goes (the one to the starter)? and the pos battery goes to the post that points to the front?
 
I told you 2 things to try & you respond, "I did that". Did which of the 2? Which one made it crank over?
 
on the rig the wiring when like this...
the brown wire went to the right side little post. The white wire with the stripe went to the left post as did the coil wire
the large post on the left the battery cable went to and the large post on the right the starter cable went to
 
In you earlier picture, two wires look to have eyelets large enough to fit the large solenoid terminals (battery or Starter) &amp; only the red id small eyelet. Is that correct?
 
sorry this format is confusing. I was replying to the post about switching the wires.
as to what you suggested I ran a jumper to the pos batter post to the small post that has the "I" on it and ran a ground from the small post "S" to ground and that kick it over.
 
That result tells me that you have the wrong solenoid for that tractor. To verify that, tape up the red wire for no connection. Connect the brown wire to the same large post along with the battery cable. Connect the white with red strip to the right small post and connect a jumper to the left small post with other end of jumper to good ground. Try to start it What happens?
 

i did a search and this diagram showed up for a 3000. If this is correct then my original wiring was backwards. HOWEVER, I could start and run the tractor.
Is this correct for the 3000? SOMETHING just aint right here.

mvphoto9736.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 21:41:26 01/28/18)
i did a search and this diagram showed up for a 3000. If this is correct then my original wiring was backwards. HOWEVER, I could start and run the tractor.
Is this correct for the 3000? SOMETHING just aint right here.

mvphoto9736.jpg
hat diagram is something good to stick in your pocket for later, but for now, lets stop jumping around and make the last set of connections that I suggested &amp; observe the results.
 
Okay! Thank you very much for your help!!! Night has fallen and I will return to the tractor first thing in the morning and get back to you with the results
 
one slight problem is which is right post and which is left? What way are we looking at the solenoid? If I am looking down at the solenoid (mounting plate facing me) the "I" post is on the left and the "S" post is on the right. This is the way it mounts in the tractor
 
(quoted from post at 22:05:35 01/28/18) one slight problem is which is right post and which is left? What way are we looking at the solenoid? If I am looking down at the solenoid (mounting plate facing me) the "I" post is on the left and the "S" post is on the right. This is the way it mounts in the tractor
'm not changing any rules mid-stream, just stick with what you said here as to left &amp; right. "on the rig the wiring when like this...
the brown wire went to the right side little post. The white wire with the stripe went to the left post as did the coil wire
the large post on the left the battery cable went to and the large post on the right the starter cable went to"
I'm just saying put different colors on them, but left is as you said then &amp; right is as you said then.
 

The diagram you have is the correct way the wire the solenoid.
The older pre 65 tractors used a ground thru the starter button to activate the solenoid, but the 65 and newer models wire up just like the solenoids on Ford cars and trucks.

The positive cable from the battery goes to one of the large studs on the solenoid, doesn't matter which side
The brown wire connects to the same stud on the solenoid as the battery cable, this wire supplies power to the key switch, generator and regulator
The white wire with red strip connects to the small stud marked S, this wire comes from the natural safety switch to activate the solenoid when the key is turned to the start position.
The small red wire connects to the small stud marked I, this is the ignition bypass wire to the coil.
The cable going to the starter connects the the other large stud by it's self.
 

About the only other thing I can think of is to make sure you have a clean mounting base for the solenoid to bolt to, that's how the solenoid get's it's ground, dirty mount and rusty screws could cause a ground problem.

Once you have it wired up if it doesn't work connect a volt meter or test light to the small stud marked S, with the trans in neutral turn the key to start and see if you have power going to that terminal, if not you may have a problem with the start safety switch in the transmission cover.
 
(quoted from post at 23:15:18 01/28/18) That?s exactly how I wired in the new solenoid. Apparently I got a faulty new solenoid.
ust do what I told you &amp; forget all these other inputs. If you keep jumping here &amp; there we will never get to a solution! Faulty? Probably not. More likely the wrong type. Just follow my instructions &amp; soon we will know.
 
(quoted from post at 23:49:28 01/28/18)
(quoted from post at 23:15:18 01/28/18)
ust do what I told you &amp; forget all these other inputs.

Really!
8 thousand series Ford Tractors, half a dozen Ford cars and trucks on our farms, one of those is a 3400 gas, another is a 3000 gas.
I think I know how to wire a Ford solenoid.

Battery cable and brown wire on a large stud
White/red stripe wire to the small stud marked "S"
Coil wire to the small stud marked "I"
Starter cable to the other large stud
That's straight out of the Ford service manual

There's a easy way to test the solenoid to see if it's working and is the correct one.

Connecting a grounded wire to any of those post is a good way to burn up some wiring.
 
(reply to post at 19:46:17 01/28/18)
Ok. So I think I found out how to upload photos. Let's see.

On mine (gasser) the diagram given above is backwar and misding the brown wire. I was referencing it looking dead on from your very first pic. See if my pics clear anything.
 

Ok. Maybe I can't get photos to post. But is "exactly" as Destroked 450 says above. Mine is a 67 3400 gasser. My silonoid is exactly the same I don't think u have the wrong one.
 
(quoted from post at 06:50:42 01/29/18)
Ok. Maybe I can't get photos to post. But is "exactly" as Destroked 450 says above. Mine is a 67 3400 gasser. My silonoid is exactly the same I don't think u have the wrong one.
r. Beard, you do know that the solenoids can 'look' exactly the same, yet be electrically different inside, right?
 
Success. Well! A combination of bad wiring and wiring that was damaged up under the gas lid. In addition to the solenoid bolts being pretty rusted out.
I don't know how this tractor was starting and running? The brown wire I took off the small post of the solenoid initially. I hooked everything back up the way it came off. Figuring it ran before, must be right! Nope.
THanks to all you for your help!
Incidentally the new solenoid fixed the starter drive gear issue I was having. NOW this tractor starts and runs great!!
Thanks again very much and I hope this thread can help someone in the future.
It is interesting there are apparently different ways to wire up these ford solenoids. That I don't understand. What I do understand is the brown wire has to be on the post with the battery wire. Mine was not like that when I took it off.
 
(quoted from post at 14:16:28 01/29/18) Success. Well! A combination of bad wiring and wiring that was damaged up under the gas lid. In addition to the solenoid bolts being pretty rusted out.
I don't know how this tractor was starting and running? The brown wire I took off the small post of the solenoid initially. I hooked everything back up the way it came off. Figuring it ran before, must be right! Nope.
THanks to all you for your help!
Incidentally the new solenoid fixed the starter drive gear issue I was having. NOW this tractor starts and runs great!!
Thanks again very much and I hope this thread can help someone in the future.
It is interesting there are apparently different ways to wire up these ford solenoids. That I don't understand. What I do understand is the brown wire has to be on the post with the battery wire. Mine was not like that when I took it off.
ongratulations!
 

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