Republic of the Philippines

SORSOGON STATE COLLEGE

Technology Department
Sorsogon City

LEARNING MODULE in
Auto Electrical Servicing
OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this activity the student should be able to:

1. Perform the proper procedure in replacing solenoid.

2. Identify the right solenoid for a vehicle.
3. Use the proper tool in replacing solenoid.

TOOLS/MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT:
1 UNIT VEHICLE
1 SET SOCKET WRENCH
1 SET SCREW DRIVER
1 PC NEW STARTER SOLENOID
1 PC FLOOR JACK
1 SET SAFETY STAND
1 SET WHEEL STOPPER

PROCEDURES:

Raising the Vehicle and Finding

the Starter
Steps 1 - Park the car on a level
surface
In order to access the starter in
some vehicles, there’s a need to
jack it up. It's important that to
find a solid surface that can
support the weight of the vehicle
while it is supported on a jack
and jack stands.
Warning!
•Concrete and blacktop are the preferred surfaces for jacking up a
vehicle.
•Never jack a vehicle up on grass, dirt or gravel.

Steps 2 - Disconnect the battery

Before starting any work in the
vehicle, disconnect the power
source to prevent shocks and
ensure not to damage the
electrical system. Use a socket
wrench to loosen the nut on the
negative terminal on the battery
then slide it off the terminal
post.

Steps 3 - Jack up the vehicle if

need
If there’s a need to work under
the vehicle to access the starter,
jack up the vehicle by lifting and
pressing or turning the handle
until it's high enough to work
under.

Warning!
• Be careful not to jack the vehicle up in an area that can't support the
weight of the vehicle because it may damage the vehicle frame.
Steps 4 - Place jack stands under
the vehicle
Warning!
Never work beneath a vehicle
that is not supported by a safety
stand.
Slide jack stands beneath the
vehicle at designated jacking
points. Slowly lower the vehicle
down into the jack stands to
ensure the vehicle is steady and
the stands are in the proper
position.

Notes:
• Jack stands will not allow the vehicle to drop below the set height on the
stand.
• Hydraulic jacks may allow the vehicle to lower at an unpredictable rate
without stands to support the vehicle.

Steps 5 - Locate the starter

The starter solenoid is attached
to the starter in most
applications. The starter is a
cylindrical component that is
usually attached to the side of
the transmission's bell housing,
where the transmission and
engine meet.
Removing the Starter Solenoid
Steps 6 - Mark the wires on the
starter
The smaller cylinder attached to
the starter is the starter
solenoid. On most solenoids,
there are three wires connected
to terminals. Use pieces of
masking tape to mark each wire
with its corresponding terminal.

Notes:
• Marking the wires before you disconnect them will allow it to easily
determine which wire connects where on the new solenoid.
•If the solenoid has four wires going into it, be sure to mark the fourth
accordingly.

Steps 7 - Disconnect the starter

wiring
With the wires clearly marked,
disconnect each of them from
the solenoid. Do not pull on the
wiring itself, or it may tear out of
the plastic harness. The other
two are often held in place by a
bolt of screw.
Steps 8 - Remove the starter
mounting bolts if necessary
In some vehicles, it is hard to
access the solenoid's fasteners
without removing the starter
itself. In these applications, use a
wrench to remove the two bolts
that secure the starter to the bell
housing. Then slide the starter
off of the engine.

Notes:
•If it is hard to access the solenoid easily without removing the starter,
there is no need to remove it.
•Be sure to keep the bolts you remove in a safe place for reuse when
putting the starter back in.

Steps 9 - Unbolt or unscrew the

solenoid from the starter
The starter solenoid is usually
held in place by two screws. In
some applications it may be
bolts instead. Use the
appropriate hand tool to remove
the fasteners that secure the
solenoid to the starter.

Notes:
•It may need to spray the fasteners with a rust remover like WD40 in
order to loosen.
•Be careful not to break the bolts when removing it.
Steps 10 - Pull the solenoid out
away from the starter
With the fasteners removed, grip
the solenoid tightly with one
hand and slide it away from the
starter and out. If the starter is
still in the vehicle, this will be
easier to do, but if it had to
remove it, use the other hand to
brace the starter when pulling
the two components apart.

Reminders:
• Be sure the fasteners are removed before pulling on the solenoid,
otherwise it will not release.

Installing the New Solenoid

Steps 11 - Compare the new
solenoid to the old one
While it's always important to
compare the new parts to the
old ones to ensure they'll fit, it is
of particular importance with
starter solenoid.

Notes:
• The terminal marked with the letter “I” is used only for vehicles that
have four wires going to their starter solenoid.
•If the vehicle came with three wires, a four terminal solenoid will work
provided you connect the wires in the right way.
Steps 12 - Slide the new
solenoid into the starter
Slide the new solenoid into the
starter by sliding it into the
housing you removed the old
one from. It may need to apply a
bit of pressure to pop the
plunger into the starter housing.

Steps 13 - Insert the bolts or

screws to secure the solenoid
Take the screws or bolts that
removed from the old solenoid
and insert them into the new
one. Tighten it until the solenoid
is secure and won't vibrate
loose.

Steps 14 - Reinstall the starter if

necessary
If the starter was removed in
order to gain access to the
fasteners on the solenoid, put it
back in the vehicle. Use the bolts
removed previously to secure
the starter to the bell housing on
the transmission.
Steps 15 - Connect the wiring
Use the labels you placed on the
wires to guide when connecting
the wiring to the new solenoid.
The top and bottom wires will go
in exactly the same places as
they did on the old solenoid. If
the replacement solenoid has
four terminals and the old one
have three wires, attach the
third wire to the terminal
marked with an “S”.

Notes:
• Once connected, reconnect the battery and attempt to start the vehicle.

REFERENCES: Courtesy of;

Toyota Technical Education for Automotive Mastery for the 21st Century
Auto Lab Manual by Mr. Edward B. Tayam
https://www.wikihow.com/Replace-a-Starter-Solenoid
QUIZ GENERAL INSTRUCTION:

1. To prevent the copy paste of what is in the module or in the internet

and to make it sure that you read and understand what is in the
module please answer the following question in Tagalog or
Filipino only.

2. Please don’t copy also the answer of your friends otherwise you
and your friend will get a low score in the quiz.

3. Send your answer to your Instructor’s email address or messenger

account but not in the group chat.

AT-223 QUIZ #08

Q1. Why it is necessary to disconnect the battery first?

Q2. Why it is important to put a jack stand when working underneath?

Q3. Why it is necessary to mark the wires before removing it?

Q4. Why it is necessary to compare the new one with the old solenoid?

Q5. What are the safety precautions when replacing starter solenoid?