[jmpx]

Might be a dumb question but I’ve looked and couldn’t find out by searching - where this black wire off the starter go?

And does the negative terminal from the battery go straight to ground?

 

[purple-rain]

1. starter wire goes to the starter solenoid ( labeled starter solenoid)
2. ground wire goes bolts to the starter mount (edge of starter)
3. postive battery wire goes to the starter solenoid (labeled battery on solenoid)

good luck!

 

[jmpx]

1. starter wire goes to the starter solenoid ( labeled starter solenoid)
2. ground wire goes bolts to the starter mount (edge of starter)
3. postive battery wire goes to the starter solenoid (labeled battery on solenoid)

good luck!

ok black wire from starter motor goes to the starter solenoid, to the free terminal or where the positive is already coming in?

 

[purple-rain]

the solenoid should be labeled "battery" and "starter"

Look closely at the solenoid

 

[richnct]

Black cable you are holding goes to negative battery terminal, not the solenoid bolt. Assuming it comes from the starter mounting bolt, which I cannot see in the pic.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

the solenoid should be labeled "battery" and "starter"

They are on the GL500 and other models with the main fuse mounted on the side of the solenoid but I don't think the terminals are labelled on the earlier solenoids (nor does it really matter)

• The cable/strap from the battery's + (positive) terminal goes to one of the solenoid's stud terminals.
• The cable from the battery's - (negative) terminal should be sandwiched between the starter motor and the bracket that attaches it to the motor at the upper bolt.
• The cable that attaches to the stud on top of the starter motor goes to the solenoid's other stud terminal.

This drawing shows the circuit as found on the models with Transistor amplifier Ignition (TI). Capacitor Discharge Ignition (CDI) models are similar except that the main fuse is separate from the solenoid.
Note particularly the upper right portion of the drawing showing the connections between the battery, solenoid and starter motor (as mentioned above the cable from battery negative goes between the starter motor and the bracket)