Starter Wiring, Why doesn't my car look like all the others?!? Options

[Blue Lightning]

1976 2.0. Putting engine back in after a 2056-dectomy, but it has been out too long and as usual I didn't take enough pictures of all the important connections.

There are many threads on wiring for the starter. However, I have one additional wire that I don't see in any of those threads, but I marked as going to the starter solenoid.

Wire in my hand:

Way off to right:

Out of focus in center:



The wire in question is red and has a spade terminal on the end. It is not the cable that runs from the alternator. My best guess as of today is that is leads up to the firewall and goes through here:


Thoughts? Car has air conditioning, so is this part of that?

[emerygt350]

Just tried staring at your picture again. I think it may be hooked up wrong. Yellow goes to the little terminal on the Ford solenoid, that looks right. Power should go to a big terminal on the Ford solenoid (I use a fusable link here), and that looks right, I think. The other big Ford terminal should go to the little nub the yellow wire would have gone to on a stock setup. That is at the top of the stock solenoid between the two big posts. I think there is something messed up with your wiring.

[Blue Lightning]

Just tried staring at your picture again. I think it may be hooked up wrong. Yellow goes to the little terminal on the Ford solenoid, that looks right. Power should go to a big terminal on the Ford solenoid (I use a fusable link here), and that looks right, I think. The other big Ford terminal should go to the little nub the yellow wire would have gone to on a stock setup. That is at the top of the stock solenoid between the two big posts. I think there is something messed up with your wiring.

I think if you look in this picture:

the second heavy wire from the Ford solenoid is going to the spade terminal on the starter solenoid.

The fuse suggestion is a good one -- will add that. I was cribbing from the wiring diagram off my Mustang which doesn't have this (but it also drive the starter directly).