Starter activates when battery wire connected and starter is grounded to frame with or without solenoid wire connected. No short between posts on new starter. Only does it when the power source is from the battery wire. other power source does not duplicate the problem. starter activates With key on or off and starter relay in or out. No obvious short found, Any ideas ???

Hi Ray:
I'd start by doing a power check from the battery to the starter,
- Battery - charged, connected, terminals good, wires good, ground cable connected to engine/frame?
- Heavy red wire connected to solenoid, and from solenoid to starter?
- Solenoid function check - small terminal to positive - if it works then check power source from ignition switch - if it doesn't, short across thick wire terminals. - if it works then solenoid is the problem.
Reply as a comment to this post to get back to me.
Cheers.

You may have a remotely mounted solenoid, which may be the problem.
Follow the positive lead from the battery. It will connect directly to the solenoid. If your solenoid is mounted to the starter ( small cylinder shaped device mounted to the starter ) then you may have gotten a bad unit and you'll need to test it. If that cable goes to a small box, then that is the solenoid and can be tested without removing. The remote solenoid will have the battery cable on one side and another large cable going to the starter, as well as one or two other small wires.. Use 2 old screwdrivers and place one on the starter side of the terminal and the other on the small terminal marked with an I.Touch the shafts together - there will be a large spark and, if the solenoid and starter are good, the starter will either turn over or the solenoid clicks .You can test it ( starter mounted solenoid ) by removing the starter assembly and using jumper cables. Connect the negative cable to the starter body and the positive cable to the terminal the battery wire goes to. You MUST secure the starter either by having somebody hold it tightly on the ground or by mounting it in a bench vice. Then connect the negative to the battery and TOUCH the positive cable to the positive post of the battery. If it clicks, then you may have either the ground strap issue or another short circuit that is robbing the power. Check both positive and negative cables from the battery by feeling the length of the cable for bumpiness and inspect the ends for corrosion.You could also have a bad ground strap ( braided, flat wire that goes from the motor to the firewall or chassis ) .
Hope this helps!!

Check the ground connection on the battery and the frame. Make.sure the battery posts are clean and free from corrosion. Most likely it's the ground on the frame

I am sorry but you have this posted in the wrong product category. Please re-post the problem.

tap on the starter sounds like what your running into is a starter problem.

check and see if the red wire goes to starter and the other to the battery and the litte one to the s on the selinoid

Some starter solenoids are mounted on the fender near the battery and some are on the starter itself.

Typically the ones mounted on the fender have two larger posts and one smaller post. For the larger posts: One connects strait to the positive post on the battery. The other connects strait to the starter. The smaller post connects to the neutral safety switch which connects to the start position of the ignition switch. Here is a diagram. Make sure the solenoid is grounded good.

For the solenoid that is mounted on the starter: Connect the positive post of the battery to the large post on the starter. Connect smaller neutral safety switch/ignition switch wire to the smaller post.


Here is a diagram if you have both solenoids

Don't forget to hook backup any other wires that were hooked to the positive side of battery/solenoid like alternator wire etc.

well i would try turning motor over buy hand if you cant PULL THE PLUGS OUT AND THEN TRY TRUNING MOTOR OVER SEE IF IT IS FULE LOCKE UP IF NOT AND YOU CAN TRUN THE MOTOR OVER BUY HAND STAT LOOKING AT BATTERY CABELS OR BAD GROUNDS HOPE THIS HELPS

If you are satisfied with the Starter and the Battery. Check the connection to the Starter Solenoid Relay and Maxi Fuse. If all is still OK. Make a new Frame/Body ground to Engine casing Ground connection, if possible reusing the same, but cleaned, connection points .
Regards,DT

the wires might be fried also, check them with a meter to see if the smaller wire has voltage without key in. if so, the wire might be shorting out to 12 volt wire or the ignition switch is bad.