Starter relay question.

[cobra427mnsi]

Fox

That picture must be of an older style starter. The "starter motor solenoid", in your picture, mounted to the top of the starter, is the same as the solenoid that is mounted to the plywood. They are the same thing. You have two starter solenoids there. I'm not sure what that "strater relay terminal" is ( I think they spelled it wrong).

You need to look at your starter itself. There should only be one large connection to turn over the starter. The circuit is completed because the starter body is grounded to the engine through the mounting bolts. RichBurrough's picture has the labels correct.

A starter solenoid is just a big switch (relay). the largest posts are used to start the car. One of them goes to the red terminal of the battery (doesn't matter which one). The other goes to the big terminal on the starter ( the only terminal on the starter). Use a heavy guage wire for both. The "big switch" starter solenoid is closed by running a smaller guage wire (12 guage or 14 guage) wire from the ignition switch to the "S" terminal on the solenoid. The other "I" terminal need not be used (depends on what ignition system you are using). When you turn the key to start, the "S" terminal wire excites the solenoid by closing the internal high amperage switch, thus sending juice to the starter. When you release the key from the start position the juice running to the "S" terminal is cut off and the solenoid high amp switch is opened cutting off power to the starter. Elementary my dear Watson.

There is a standard color code used for wiring.
Black = ground
red = 12 volts always hot
white = 12 volts switched

Hope this helps (not too confusing)

Paul