72 Sierra Grande wiring - still at it

[Bigblock50]

I got the truck up on ramps today so I could lay eyes on the back of the solenoid. What I saw completes the picture of the incredible rewiring done by the PO soon after the truck was purchased.

First, I determined that the mysterious “blue wire” traveling with a yellow wire to the PO’s now-deleted “circuit junction box” is actually an intercepted version of a purple wire going to the NSS. LockDoc suspected this earlier. Using my continuity tester, I connected the tip of the blue wire to one of the NSS connector terminals and it lit up. I still can’t find where this weird and unsafe junction was made, or why. But I will find it.

Second, I found that the S terminal of the solenoid is connected to a black wire (mentioned in earlier notes) that was also connected to the “circuit junction box.” However, this black wire is now showing up as a ground. This could either mean an internal short in the solenoid itself or a faulty connection at the terminal. To determine this I’ll need to drop the starter.

To solve all this I plan to replace the solenoid and starter and find where the purple wire was intercepted by the blue wire - I think it’s in a wrapped area of the harness under the hood. I will then splice in a correct purple wire and run it to the S terminal of the new solenoid. I believe the truck will then start.

Why the truck was rewired in this Horrible manner boggles the imagination. But I believe the problem has been found thanks to much help from LockDoc and others on this forum. I’ll send a final note when I get the repairs done.

Bill in Luray