How to Bench Test a Starter Solenoid

The introduction of electric starters on automobiles eliminated the difficult and potentially hazardous process of crank starting an engine. When the driver activates the ignition switch, a starter solenoid is actuated, which then allows electric current to flow through the windings of the starter motor that starts the engine. As with any electromechanical part, a starter solenoid can fail. Most starter solenoids are part of a complete assembly with the starter motor, which means that the entire starter solenoid and motor assembly will have to be tested to determine if the solenoid is still usable.

• Place the starter and solenoid assembly on a bench top. If you don't have a bench top, you may use a garage floor or similar flat surface.
• Connect the jumper cable to the battery. On one set of the jumper cable ends, clip the black lead to the negative battery terminal and the red lead to the positive terminal. Do not let the free ends of the jumper cables touch each other.
• Touch the free jumper cable leads to the starter solenoid. Hold the black lead to the solenoid housing and the the red lead to the terminal on the starter solenoid. Only hold the leads to the starter for a few seconds before removing the leads. Disconnect the jumper cables from the battery when finished with this step.
• Determine if the starter solenoid is good. If you heard a click while performing the previous step, then the solenoid is good. If the motor attached to the solenoid is still usable and electrically connected to the solenoid, then it should have turned as well. In the event that you did not hear a click, the solenoid is bad and will likely have to be replaced along with the starter motor.

How to Troubleshoot a Starter Solenoid

Without it, your car cannot go anywhere. Yet, a starter solenoid's only job is to complete the circuit between the battery and the starter when you turn the key to start. However, not every start goes as smoothly as it should, and the solenoid might refuse to crank the engine, disengage the pinion gear or might keep the starter motor running. Fortunately, even with very little knowledge of electricity you can learn to troubleshoot a problematic solenoid. Gain the skills to test both on-starter and remote-mounted solenoids. For these tests, it is better if you have the help of an assistant.

Step 1

Check that your car battery is fully charged before beginning these tests.

Step 2

Move the gear to neutral if you are diagnosing a car with a standard transmission or park if you are diagnosing a car with an automatic transmission.

Step 3

Apply the parking brake and make sure to stay away from moving engine parts as you proceed with these tests.

Step 4

Disconnect the coil high tension cable from the distributor cap and ground it using a short jumper wire.

Step 5

Ask your assistant to turn the ignition key to start while you listen for a click at the starter solenoid. If you hear a firm click, go to step 9 if you have an on-starter solenoid; go to steps 10 and 11 if you have a remote-mounted solenoid. If you hear a weak click or repeated click sounds, go to the next step.

Step 6

Unplug the small control circuit wire at the solenoid terminal. If there are two small wires, disconnect the one marked with an "S"; otherwise, check the wiring diagram for your particular vehicle to locate this wire.

Step 7

Connect a jumper wire to the battery positive terminal. As you bring the other jumper wire’s end in touch with the solenoid’s control circuit terminal you should hear a solid click; if you do not hear any sounds or hear a weak or chattering sound, make sure the solenoid is properly grounded and there is no corrosion or other substance preventing a good ground. Repeat the test. If you still don’t hear a solid click, replace the solenoid.

Step 8

Unplug the small control circuit wire at the solenoid terminal. Ask your assistant to turn the key to start. Using a voltmeter, test for voltage at the control circuit wire. If the meter reads 0 volts, there is an open in that part of the circuit preventing the solenoid from operating the starter. Locate and fix the open.

Step 9

Ask your assistant to turn the key to start. Check for a voltage drop between the solenoid's battery terminal and the starter motor strap. The voltage drop should be no more than 0.2 volts; otherwise, replace the solenoid. Make sure the battery cable is well connected to the solenoid. Remember, this step is only for an on-starter solenoid.

Step 10

Ask your assistant to turn the key to start. Check for a voltage drop across the two cable connections on the solenoid. The voltage drop should not exceed 0.2 volts. If it does, make sure the cable connections are completely clean and well connected. If you still read over 0.2 volts, replace the solenoid. Remember, this step and the next one are only for remote-mounted solenoids.

Step 11

Unplug the small control circuit wire at the solenoid’s terminal. Using your multimeter, measure the resistance between the control circuit terminal and the solenoid’s ground bracket. If the resistance is above 5 ohms, replace the solenoid. Remember, this step is only for remote-mounted solenoids.

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How to Test a Temp Gauge

A broken temperature gauge can lead to expensive vehicle repairs. It is very important to test gauges to ensure they work properly, because an inaccurate reading can cause serious damage to the vehicle's engine or to the driver. Most gauges in today's cars run on an electrical system. With a few simple tests, you can determine whether there is any damage to your vehicle's temperature gauge.

• Unplug the temperature gauge from the sending unit. This is usually located to the right of the engine.
• Turn the ignition key to the "On" position. Do not start the car.
• Ground the temperature gauge wire to the engine. You should use jumper wires to ground the temperature gauge.
• • Check the temperature gauge inside the car. The reading should be in the middle between hot and cold.
  • Turn the ignition key to the "Off" position.
  • Check the fuses inside the car. If the fuse connected to the temperature gauge is burned out you should replace it.
  • Ground the jumper wire connected to the sending unit terminal located next to the engine.
  • • urn the ignition key to the "On" position.
    • Check the temperature gauge inside the car. If the temperature now reads hot, then there is a open wire in the sending unit. You should immediately have the temperature gauge repaired.

How to Troubleshoot a Car Engine Temperature Gauge

By CakPacakNian.blogspot.com

The temperature gauge reading starts out as a reference voltage that is sent to thecoolant temperature sensor. This sensor is nothing more than a thermistor -- a variable resistor that changes resistance with temperature changes. As the coolant temperature rises or falls, the resistance of the sensor changes as well. On most vehicles, the resistance of the sensor decreases as the temperature increases. At low engine temperatures, almost all of the reference voltage is dropped as the current passes through the sensor, and when the engine is warmer, very little voltage is dropped. Depending on how your vehicle is designed, that modified voltage travels directly to the temperature gauge -- more common on cars built before 1996 -- or back to the car’s computer, which then controls the temperature gauge in the instrument cluster.

To diagnose an inoperative temperature gauge, you’ll need to test the coolant temperature sensor and the wiring for that circuit. You should have a service or repair manual written for your specific vehicle prior to attempting these tests. You will need to drain and fill the cooling system as well as test specifically colored wires. Removal of other components may be necessary to access the coolant temperature sensor, the sensors wiring or the wiring for the temperature gauge. The following procedure will work for most vehicles, but check the repair manual for a description of the sensor’s operation before you begin.

Step 1: Find the coolant temperature sensor.

The location of the sensor varies depending on what year, make and model of vehicle you are working on. It is commonly found threaded into the engine block, thermostat housing, cylinder head or upper intake manifold.

Step 2: Check for reference voltage to the sensor.

Disconnect the wiring harness from the sensor. It may have two or three wires. Review your repair manual to determine which wire supplies the reference voltage. Set your multimeter to read DC volts, on the 20-volt scale. Connect the negative lead of the multimeter to a good ground -- ideally the negative battery terminal or one of thebody-to-engine grounds. Touch the positive lead from your meter to the reference supply wire. You should see 5 or 12 volts with the ignition key in the “On” position, depending on how your vehicle is designed. Proceed to the next step, if you receive avoltage reading. If you do not get a reading, check any fuse labeled “Engine,” “ECM” or “PCM.” If all fuses are good, trace that wire back to the computer and repair any damage to the wire. If there is no damage to the wire or any blown fuses, the computeris likely at fault.

Step 3: Test the coolant temperature sensor.

Follow the steps in your vehicle’s repair manual to release the pressure in the cooling system, and then drain the coolant.

Remove the temperature sensor with a deepwell socket and a ratchet. Attach alligator clips to the leads of your multimeter. Fill a pot or pan with room temperature waterand place it on one of your stove’s burners. Attach the multimeter leads to the two pins in the sensors connector, then submerge the tip of the sensor into the water. Set your multimeter to the Ohms setting on the 1K scale and turn on the burner. Observe the resistance of the sensor as the water temperature increases. The sensor resistance should start out high and drop as the water temperature increases. Check your repair manual for exact specifications and compare them to your readings. If the sensor falls out of specification, replace it. If the sensor tests good, clean the threads with a wire brush, apply new thread tape to the threads and install the sensor. Tighten the sensor to specifications given in your vehicle's repair manual. Fill and bleed the cooling system according to your vehicle's repair manual.

Step 4: Check the sensor return wire

Review your vehicle's repair manual to determine if the sensors return wire runs directly to the instrument cluster or back to the computer. If it goes back to the cluster, follow the directions in the manual to remove the instrument cluster. If it goes to the computer, follow directions to access the computer. Set your multimeter to the 20-volt, DC-current scale and probe the return wire at the instrument cluster harness or the computer harness. You should see a voltage lower than the initial reference voltage you found in Step No. 2. If you do not get a reading, check for damage to that return wire and repair it as necessary. If your sensor reports directly to the instrument cluster, and you do not receive voltage, replace the instrument cluster. If your gauge is computer controlled, check for return voltage on that wire at the computer harness. If there is no output voltage from the computer, replace the computer. If there is voltage being sent from the computer to the instrument cluster, check for that voltage at the cluster. If you get voltage at the clusters wiring harness, replace the instrument cluster. If you do not see voltage at the cluster, but you got a voltage reading at the computer, inspect that wire and repair as necessary.