This evening I installed a new starter. I put everything together, but I think I put the small wire connecting to the starter on the wrong socket.

I placed it on the top most socket (the one which is also connected to socket bent at an angle).

I went to start the car, and all I heard was a quiet pop. My cabin light when out but the dash lights and headlights still work.

I swapped the small wire position to the bottom (where I think it should go) but the car still won't start. I think I have blown something.

I got my voltage testor and connected to both wires connecting to the starter, but got no voltage. I tried it also with the ignition on. (Not on the setting to start the car)

Oh the cabin light now works after leaving the car for half an hour.??

I checked all the fuses, but they all appear to be ok. Any ideas what I done?

[ Edited on 6-2-2007 by rob53 ]

bad battery connection maybe? clean up all the connecting terminals etc. There is no fuse to blow in the starting circuit so this is the most likely cause.

yeah that could be possible, maybe the voltage testor didn't get good contacts. Though that probably means I blown the solenoid.

Just to confirm, Does the small wire go on the bottom socket, that is, the one nearest to the ground connection (with the bolted on crimp)? I don't want to blow my old solenoid too!

Thanks
Rob

the connection with the 13mm nut is from the + side of the battery, not ground.
The battery cable goes straight from the + side to the starter solenoid.
The starter wire (small black wire with female terminal) goes on the closest one to the batt connection.

You would not have damaged the starter by putting the starter wire on the wrong connection.

I pesume you disconnected the battery when changing it, and the connection is the issue when you put the battery terminals back on.

Thanks for your help xornge666x, I managed to get the new starter to work. I cleaned up the terminals and was able to test it with my voltmeter, but it turned out that I had the ground wire on the right socket in the first place. When I swapped it, nothing naturally happened. I'm glad I didn't blow the solenoid!

Eventually I found that the proper socket was slightly bent and so the ground wire was touching the + terminal and shorting out when I tried to start it. The pop noise was just the starter clicking once.

Cheers
Rob