Technical 1950 Pontiac No electrical power

1950 silver streak. Put a new battery in no power anywhere. None to headlights or to ignition checked with tester. Where to start? I have a new wiring harness that came with it to put in eventually. The fuses look good but not sure about the 2 on fire wall.

 

Pull the wiring harness out like you did the rear taillight and you will be golden!

 

Hahaha yeah I know right. That’s Purgatory! Guess that’s why there is a brand new one.

 

Got a new battery. No current anywhere. No the headlights or ignition. On a six volt what is the best way to check the starter? Should I start there? Solonoid appears new. Could the starter be blocking the current if it is bad?

 

Do you have a multi meter or test light (6V?). Is the battery charged? How is your earth/ground? Positive or negative ground? Looking at the corrosion of those fuse holders, I would not use them. The main positive feed goes to the solenoid and the rest is in parallel with it, so it can't "block" the current.
Does your starter have the solenoid mounted on top? if so, you can connect up a wire from the main fat feed to the starter to the solenoid terminal and it should spin up (this is where you need to know if it is positive or negative earth).
Maybe get some basic electrical info (plenty on here), and start there.

 

Was Pontiac negative ground or positive?

 

Use a test light. Across the battery terminals. Power there? ***uming that you are positive ground, Hook the alligator clip to ground and test the other end of the negative which is probably at the starter terminal. Power there? Is the ground connection good? Keep looking.

 

Yes on top. Pontiac May be pos ground I’ll check that.

 

So if it is pos g

ground just flip the battery around?

 

At least I have the headlights and turn signals rewired now. Harness next. So if it is pos ground just switch the battery around?

 

Yes, but I'm not for sure it's positive ground. Nothing marked around the battery?

 

Yes power behind the solonoid on the pos

 

Ground connection looks pretty old strap style I’ll have to change that first tomorrow

 

According to my 1954 motors manual Pontiacs from 1940 to 54 which the manual covers are negative ground.

 

I figured. Has juice to the solonoid. I think the ground strap is just too ****py

 

I’m gonna get a new neg strap and just take out the starter and bench test it

 

The wire you have hooked to the strap feeding the field coils from the solenoid should be on the same terminal as the positive cable. That's your whole problem.

 

This, if the wire on the bottom terminal of the solenoid is what you are referring to as a ground that is wrong I think. It should go on the top with the battery cable. Can we see a bigger picture?


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^^^
Didn't refer to anything as a ground. I said to put the wire on the solenoid stud feeding the fields where it belongs, which is on the positive battery cable post on the solenoid. Re-read post #19

 

Sorry 302GMC, I was agreeing with you and talking about the above all at the same time, I realize now it was confusing


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1950 Pontiac is definitely negative ground. I have two and a 39 that is also negative ground.

 

So put the one circled in yellow on the positive?

 

Or this one circled in red below it?

 

The one in red, That is not a ground strap it is the power feed to the car. If you look close that connection is from the solenoid to the field coils. nothing else goes on that connection.

 

So I guess that’s why it was parked for last 2 years when he put a new solonoid on. Lol. 931 miles since the motor was rebuilt in 2011. Have pics in an album of the motor rebuild. Can’t wait to get tires and drive it. Thanks!

 

If that one has an "S" cast in the bakelite, it goes to the starter ****on.

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Can you please clarify that? What is Bakelite? Is that the plastic around the wire? Thanks!

 

I guess that would explain no power to ignition or headlights or anything. Blocking all the current.