Testing your Car Starter Solenoid

There are two main types of starter solenoids. One type only acts as a switch, which closes the

circuit between battery and motor. The other type may act as a switch, as well as move the

plunger, that engages the gear with the flywheel. Insufficient power, delivered from the car

battery, can be the reason for a starter solenoid not being able to switch on the motor.

Most starter motors have integrated solenoids, though in some cases the starter solenoid is a

separate component. The purpose of this starter motor is to rotate the engine until the internal

combustion process can take over.

Since these electric motors often take several hundred amperes to operate, it is necessary to

isolate the starter circuit from the ignition key. This is one of the primary uses of a starter

solenoid. In vehicles where solenoids are separate components, they are typically simple to

replace.

These solenoids are usually installed somewhere in the engine compartment, and typically have

four electrical connections. Integrated starter solenoids are usually more difficult to reach, and

when they fail it is common to replace or rebuild the entire starter. In both cases, it is necessary

to disconnect the battery before attempting to work on the solenoid, since they have live

connections that can easily short circuit during a repair.

So, when your car doesn’t start, it may be due to the malfunctioning of several parts that come

into play, ranging from the car battery to the retractable gear.

One of the first clues that a solenoid is on the way out is a slow, dragging starter or a series of

clicks when the ignition key is turned. When a faulty solenoid is suspected, the first step to test a

starter solenoid is actually to test the battery.

It is important that you make sure the vehicle is out of gear and blocked sufficiently before you

test a starter solenoid.

You need to check the battery and ensure that it is in a good working condition, before you go

ahead. Arm yourself with a voltmeter and check whether the battery output voltage is around 12

V. The voltage should read 12 volts. If the battery is tested well, you will have to test the voltage

at the solenoid.

The difficulty in diagnosing a problematic solenoid is that a dead battery or a poor ground to the

battery or solenoid can all give the same initial symptoms. If battery is working fine, then you

can proceed with the rest of starter solenoid testing procedure.

Locate the starter solenoid and refer to its circuit, provided in a car manual. Disconnect the wire,

that runs from ignition switch to the solenoid. In order to test the solenoid, use insulated pliers or

a screwdriver to short the big post on it, with the ignition switch terminal on the same device.

This will directly transfer power to the solenoid, without the ignition switch current. Now, ask

somebody to switch on the ignition.

If your engine cranks, with the ignition switch terminal shorted in this way, then your solenoid is

in good working condition and the problem is elsewhere. Otherwise, if the engine doesn’t crank,

you’ll have to replace the solenoid.

As I said before, if your car is not starting, there could be many defects in the entire link, that

you will need to check, before you can narrow down to the starter solenoid as the culprit. You

need to know the various symptoms of a bad starter, to diagnose the problem accurately. In case,

you are not confident about pulling off this procedure, take help from a car mechanic.

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