Two Starter Solenoids On A V6?

I'm curious as to why my V6 only starts with two solenoids wired up?
One on the firewall and the one on the starter itself.
The whole wiring system was a melted down mess when I got it.
The starter and the ignition were the only functional parts and even how that was working was a mystery.
I bypassed the fender solenoid and got nothing.
Pulled the starter and cleaned up the crud packed solenoid, it bench tested fine.
Still nothing without the spare solenoid on the fender running to the solenoid on the starter.
Why?
Everything is getting rewired from scratch but this just has me puzzled.

 

When you say "by-pass" I assume you mean putting a known hot (positive) wire to the solenoid at the starter, on the same terminal the fender solenoid connected to. (The two solenoids in series.)

If that has no effect, is it possible the fender solenoid acts as ground to activate the starter solenoid?

OR are these the type of solenoid with heavy cables feeding the starter motor - and the two are in parallel? In which case, it could just be that one is defunct, and the second is doing all the work.

Just guessing. Pictures might help.

 

Just take the firewall solenoid out of the equation, it shouldn't be there.

 

I have run the two solenoid set up for years . no problem
the issue I had with my jeep would the starter motor wouldn't crank
even though a test light on start terminal said it had voltage with key start
I got the idea from being around VW's growing up
basely the ford solenoid is connected to the start terminal of GM starter solenoid
and 12 volt on starter post . key start is moved to ford solenoid

 

Ford has done double solenoids for years. It's not particularly uncommon, even if I don't think Jeep ever did it from the factory.

 

What's the reason for two solenoids? I have two v6 powered jeeps, both start and run fine with the stock starter/solenoid combo. The factory didn't install an auxiliary solenoid.

 

The two solenoids is a band aid for starter heat soak issues from exhaust and the like or poor quality or worn out starters. It’s nothing new but does not address the actual cause of the underlying issue.

 

I'll take that as a compliment

 

The one from the CJ-5 is covered in mud, 20 plus years old, and still works fine in stock form.

 

I added a remote mounted solenoid to my Chevy van about 35 years ago just to get the 14 (maybe 16) gauge control wires away from the headers.

 

2X, had a problem with heat soak on my V6 for a couple years, was finally getting ready to buy parts to do two solenoids till the starter gave. Then the nose cracked in half and that was it for that starter. Never had an issue with the new one.

 

my CJ had intermittent starting issues for years. Mounted a Ford solenoid on the fender and ran a jump lead from the battery to the solenoid terminals on the starter and NEVER had another issue. It also gives a nice battery power terminal under the hood for the relays I'm running.

 

It may have had this problem-
Fixing A 40 Year Old Starter Issue | ECJ5 (earlycj5.com)

 

Did it have shag carpet also?

 

This may be the reason for the second solenoid. Makes sense to me. http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/st-1.shtml

 

Yup, a pretty good elaboration of my post #10. Thx.

 

Sorry, no. It's a little more utilitarian than that:

 

Man, a couple heart windows and maybe one in the shape of a celtic cross would make this thing schwingy!

 

All joking aside that thing is pretty cool.

 

Moon Buggy.