Greetings, i have a 1998 3.0 V6 4x4, and having intermittent starting problem: gone thru testing, all checks out: battery,alternator, then changed relay to be sure, getting the big click, when attempt start, seems its the solenoid... got correct new fender mount solenoid from local store, now can't find location of original! doesn't feel like a starter mount solenoid to me after checking underneath, traced positive leads from battery and can't find solenoid anywhere along path on any fender or firewall....
Experienced auto parts store guy swears that its a fender mount, but after bump starting and driving to store to get his opinion on where it was? he, and other customer couldn t find it either??..
Any thoughts?? Thanks in advance.
Ed

 

If it's not on the fender well, then it's on the starter.
The positive lead from the battery follows to it.
It's buried underneath the oil filter, if you crawl underneath the truck, you will see it.

Here's a link to what it should look like.
http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo....304514&jsn=466

The other odd thing is that Rock Auto list the older style that mounts on the fender well.

 

 

Even though the starter mount solenoid comes off separately, they are not available as such, at least I couldn't find one, if it's faulty, then a whole starter will need to be bought.

Don't condemn the solenoid yet, if it's clicking then it is working.
The most common problem in theses trucks are crappy battery and ground connections.

If your battery connections are clean, sometime acid makes its way back onto the factory crimped connections which causes your problem.
Make sure the ground on the engine block from the battery is good too.
Check the large battery and starter connections on the back of the solenoid as well.

You get the idea.

Lots of guys here on the forum go through and replace everything only to find that it's just a bad connection somewhere. (or connections).

 

Thanks again Jeff, the guy at the auto parts store said that the buying of part after part, chasing the problem, is called "shotgunning"...
one of my smart hot rod buddies also agrees w/ your thoughts on connections, etc.. seems a lot of folks miss the simple stuff.. i ll check what i can..
Here's hoping.. and will post the rest of the story.
Cheers.

 

Update: it was a starter mount solenoid... so since i have to lay under it in my driveway to fix, i decided to take it to a local mom and pop local small independent to have them do it.. guy swapped out a used rear end for my bad one few months ago.. seemed fair and straight up on that deal.
What happened next was amazing!! i waited four/ five days to get an appt.. guy quoted me .8 hours labor plus parts, and was open to just doing the sollenoid if possible.. great. told him i'd bring it in just as he opened as i had to bump start it to get it to him and he could tell me where to put it in case, and probably if they needed to push it in etc.. said i'd call him first to let him know so he d be ready... called, no answer, left voicemail.. got there bout half hr. after opening, no one there...closed.. so called , no ans, voicemail ... so tryin to figure what next, park on hill???, take it home??? guy pulls up, seems quiet, kinda sullen... opens shop, i pull truck in on lift. follow him in thru emloyee only door, tells me to move to other side of counter.. he vaguely remembers what i'm there for " sometrhing about a solenoid??", yeah, i say, hopin you can just do solenoid, and best case maybe you guys can just clean connections and tighten them and quick fix????.. then he goes off! " i f*ckin charge 110 bux an hour, you want me to do that, its f8ckin 110 bux hour after hour, i can do that all day. i'm gonna put in a f*ckin new starter, and you got a f*ckin problem w that, bring it in and i'll replace under warranty. i got **** to do, and i don't have time to f*ckin flatdick around all day on this.. leave your name and number and i'll call you w a price..
mind you my trucks on the lift, doors closed, and it won t start to get it out... and i know this ol hard *** has got a gun in his shop, and i'm feelin that he might just come over the counter at me...its just me and him there..
ok then.. i walk home.. calls me, 1 1/2 hrs labor, 160 dollar starter, life time guarantee ( meaningless, cause i gotta go back to him..), w/tax : 371 bux.
i pick it up, jeeesh, nice guy now, wanna pay w/ check, i don t take checks.. ok, debit card.. better he doesn t have my adress..
total ********, i'll never go back.. i chose him thru his yelp postings, but now realizing this guy is the type that would follow totally agro up on a bad yelp review..
well, live and learn... i had to google flatdickin.. after fifty years of bein around pretty serious hard asses, loggers,pipeliners, bikers, most of them all around good folks who swear a lot, i'm pretty good at it myself... hadn t heard that one, urban dictionary says: procrastination..
again live and learn.
cheers