Ford 3930 no start

[LondonDave]

Since the fall my 1992 (I believe) Ford 3930 has been having some starting issues. The starter seemed to getting a little noisy but it would still start. Occasionally I would turn the key and it wouldn't do a thing, not even click. A few taps on the starter with a hammer and it would go. It finally got to the point where it wouldn't start at all so I figured the starter had finally given up completely. While taking it out I dropped it and buggered one of the terminals on the solenoid...which I figured would be getting replaced anyway so I wasn't too concerned. Anyway a day after dropping the starter off the guy at the shop calls me up and says there is nothing wrong with my starter other than the damaged solenoid. So they replaced it and that was it. He said if I was having starting problems it could be a grounding issue. I checked the ground to the battery. The clamp on the battery terminal was good but where the cable went into the terminal it was a little loose so I cleaned it up and tightened it up. I put the starter back in hoping that loose cable was my problem but it wasn't. Still won't start. When I turn the key I get nothing. Not even a click.

So my question is where do I go from here. I'm mechanical but not a mechanic and good at replacing things that are broken but not so good at the diagnosis part of things.

Thanks

Dave

 

[LondonDave]

With the help of my son's father-in-law we did a little diagnosing and head scratching and then finally figured out I had the wire from the ignition on the wrong terminal on the solenoid....oops.