Barnfind starter won't engage.

[Earl43P]

Q: If the starter has full-time 12v red power, and the casing is gounded, why doesn't it spin all the time? Does the solenoid make the starter power-up as well as kick out the cog?

Yes, exactly.
I believe your starter has two terminals. Both get +12V, but the BIG RED WIRE with the large terminal should be 12V straight from the battery + post (or else from the solenoid, but on the Bat side). When the fender solenoid engages, the small terminal 12V is sent to the starter. That pulls in a magnetic relay inside the starter that you can hear go CLACK. Out goes the gear to the flywheel and a set of contacts close, powering the motor.

The large red terminal has no power, so the starter doesn't turn.

 

[JackLikesTrucks]

Well... I FOUND IT!

I was doing all the right moves but not quite getting it.

Kinda like kissing your own sister.

It's a bad large red starter BATT+ cable.

I hooked up a jumper cable from the battery (-) terminal to engine metal, AND a jumper cable from the battery (+) terminal to the BATT+ lug at the starter solenoid. Cranked like a champion.

So I removed the battery (-) jumper and she still cranked.
Put back the battery (-) jumper.
Then removed the battery (+) jumper and she no crank.

So she has good ground still but somewhere in the red cable going under the engine that cable is bad.

Now... here's the Q:

$230 for an OEM Ford red cable assembly or do I do it myself?

 

[v-8power]

Just get some cables from a parts store and piece it together. IMO

 

[Mark_88]

Well... I FOUND IT!

Now... here's the Q:

$230 for an OEM Ford red cable assembly or do I do it myself?

Congrats...

But if you have an option to put a single feed cable to the battery or wherever, it shouldn't cost you more than $20...

And if it's any consolation, I had almost the exact same problem with the starter...except it was the ground cable...

I know the two model years (88 and 94) are like night and day, but cables are cables are cables...