'59 Plymouth Forum

Does anyone have the chrysler number for starter solenoid for plymouth 230 engine.

Here are the part numbers from the Parts Manual found here, Leonard. Do you have a manual or automatic transmission?

In any event, it looks like NAPA has the part:

My car is automatic[ powerflite ] tried the st67 did'nt work,maybe it was defective. Does the neutral safety switch go to the small terminal,that is the way it was when i got the car.

LEONARD wrote:My car is automatic[ powerflite ] tried the st67 did'nt work,maybe it was defective. Does the neutral safety switch go to the small terminal,that is the way it was when i got the car.

When current passes through the two small terminals, it energizes the coil inside the solenoid to close the internal switch, allowing current to pass through the two large terminals to your starter. The neutral safety switch interrupts the flow of current through the two small terminals when you turn the key to the start position, unless the car is in neutral. I wouldn't think it would matter, which small terminal the neutral safety switch is connected to.

Here's how you can test your solenoid (and be sure it really is in neutral! You shouldn't need the key in the ignition, either): With the large terminals connected up, ground one small terminal - no other wires connected to that terminal. Take a wire and jumper power from the large terminal on the battery side, to the small terminal that isn't grounded. This will energize the solenoid, and if it's good, the starter will turn. (No key in the ignition will prevent the motor from starting.)

Big M, please vet this advice!

If it does engage the starter motor, you could have a bad neutral safety switch - open all the time, regardless of push button position. Then too, a bad ignition switch. But, check out the solenoid first.

Dan

OK - now I'm not so sure! I took a look at Faulkner - I think there's a resistor in the circuit on the battery side, maybe shouldn't go touching 12 volts directly to the solenoid.

But I think it's a pretty good bet that if you ground the other small terminal, the starter will spin if the solenoid is good. And if it does - you either have a problem with your ignition switch or your neutral safety switch.

Someone sanity check this advice, please!

OK. I put my Electrical Engineer hat on, and reviewed the wiring diagrams. Sorry for the confusion, Leonard. Here's what's going on.

This picture shows the solenoid with a safety switch (for automatics). For standard shift, there's only one small terminal, because the other terminal is grounded internally in the solenoid. No safety switch.

The picture above doesn't indicate what's on the other small terminal. It's the ignition switch, shown here:

So, one of these things is wrong:

1) You've got a bad solenoid. You've replaced it, but it's still not working. Can't rule out that the new one's bad - but first, some differential diagnosis.

2) You've got a bad ignition switch. It could be failing to deliver 12 v to the solenoid when you turn it to the start position. Hang a light bulb or voltmeter on that terminal (where you can see it) and see what happens when you turn it. If the bulb lights up, your ignition switch is good.

3) You've got a bad safety switch. Even in neutral, it's failing to close. You can test this by grounding that terminal, and turning the ignition switch (make sure you're in neutral!). If your solenoid is good, the starter should turn.

4) Oh yeah! Can't rule out that you've got a dead spot on your starter commutator. To rule this out, take your light bulb or voltmeter and hang it on the large terminal that goes to the starter. If it lights up or swings, you've got starter problems.

And, like that. Let us know how you make out.

Ok, thanks for the help.