My dad and I are having a heck of a time with a no crank condition. Turning the key only activates what sounds like the battery combiner clicking above the batteries on the firewall. There's 2 of 3 batteries that say 12 volts, a new starter. I've jumped the purple wire at the bottom of the steering column to bypass the safety switch. Still no power to the starter solenoid. Also, I meter around 12 volts at the starter and jumped the solenoid with a screwdriver to successful engagement of the starter solenoid and starter. We good there.

I removed and cleaned the big jones plug and slot connections that goe to the back of the fuse cluster. Since the cleaning there, some idiot lights come on at the dash where they didn't come on before I cleaned up the plug. I've located the red wire that goes down to the starter solenoid from that plug and wire harness and that wire does not get electricity when the key is turned like it should. I surmised the fuse panel to be the culprit because all the fuses meter for continuity fine. So maybe there is another ignition fuse somewheres?

I've tried to jump start with a Ram pick up and nothing.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

What I am hearing is you do not have +12 volts on the little wire at the starter solenoid when the key is turned to start. Is this true?

Yessir it's true.

Also I do not understand is what two wires you jumpered at the solenoid to get it to crank. Was it the small wire to the big (about 2 ga) + lead going to the battery?

Not two wires per se, but the main power cable from the battery to the starter and the smaller ignition wire to the "s" terminal. I crossed them with a screwdriver to complete the connection. This is an old school test of any starter while installed.

When you installed the starter on which of the two terminals did you put the little (about 12 ga) wire on. There is a good chance you put it on the wrong one.

So jumping the starter solenoid will crank the engine and the only click you hear comes from up front above the batteries... maybe the combiner.

Pops put a new combiner on, same issue.

So that tells use the starter is working but the solenoid is not.

The solenoid engages, motor spins both on the bench and installed.

Have checked for solenoid power from the switch at the smaller solenoid terminal?

There's no power to the solenoid when the key is turned. Using a screwdriver to bridge the terminals gets the solenoid and starter to engage as intended, but the key doesnt.

Also some solenoids have 2 small terminals... the second one was used to power the points ignition system with a full 12v while cranking. If you have one of these solenoids and connected the cranking power to the wrong terminal, the solenoid will not pull in.

This issue existed after years of successful operation. Then it failed intermittently and eventually stopped. The starter terminals were all connected correctly before the issue started and the terminals are connected correctly otherwise the starter would not crank.

If you have cranking power to the correct terminal, then you must have a faulty starter solenoid.

I faulty solenoid is not at issue here. That would mean that the old starter soloenoid was bad, the new solenoid is bad and that the ignition wire going from the key to the terminal on the solenoid is energized when the key is turned. So, no.

Thank you for your assistance.