Wiring diagram for starter lugs and slave solenoid?
 

Any good pics or diagrams of which wire goes where on both the starter and slave solenoid?

Well I did a little more disassembly and pulled out the slave solenoid and starter today. I was able to fire the slave solenoid on the bench and get it to work, the starter was the odd one though. When looking at the solenoid connections from the back, you have two large lugs at the top and bottom, and two smaller ones on the right and left, I can apply power to the small right lug and kick out the gear, but the top lug and left smaller lug do nothing. I can only spin the motor by applying power directly to the big lug on the bottom that's wired directly to the starter motor. So is this a dead starter?

the large top lug on the starter is where the battery cable connects to. the right one engages the solinoid, the left one is a 12 volt supply to the coil for a points distributor. the slave is used because boats run very long wire leads to the dash and back so the slave feeds a solid 12 volts to the engagement wire on the starter solinoid.

Right, but what signals the starter to spin? The right lug correct? The one that energizes the solenoid also connects the power from the top lug to the bottom, so if I energize the top lug and right lug, it should fire the gear forward and give power to the motor, and when the right lug isn't energizedits used only as a common point for the battery, ignition, and alternator?

That is correct. With a battery cable on the top, If you put power on the right lug, the starter gear should engage and the starter should spin. If just the gear moves and the starter doesn't spin then that soleniod on the starter is bad.

well I took the starter in to advance auto and had it tested this morning, passed with flying colors. I hate when this happens!

I ran by the local marine parts store and grabbed a new square white 90 amp fuse and slave solenoid to install tonight. can you guys confirm what goes on the 90 amp fuse. Ive been told both the battery and alternator wire, but mine only had the alternator wire. what is correct?

Matt just to clarify a few things. make sure the starter is grounded and when I've tested them I apply power to the main lug as a battery would be then cross the large and right lugs which should kick out and spin the gear.

When we started with the wiring the battery went to the main lug, red harness power feed and the orange alternator wire were on the white fuse (matched the 454mpi I had at the shop). However it did not like that setup so I moved the red harness power to the main lug and thats when it fired and worked fine. If the red is to be on the white fuse then it could be making poor contact since the fuse tested fine.

Have you tested with fresh batteries? You will get the clicking you heard if the batteries do not have the amps to spin the motor.

That fuse is actually bad, thats why it didnt start the first time. I tried to check the power through it and got nothing. Ill run the alternator and red power to it, then hook the large cable to the lug. There was alot of black paint on the starter, perhaps it just wasnt getting a good ground to the block. I may run a seperate ground strap from one of the starter bolts to the lug on the bellhousing to be sure

If the starter/solenoid checked out, focus on the connections being clean and TIGHT. Don't know what boat or motor you're working with but if it's older chances are it's been worked before and sometimes the main cable/fuse link works itself loose to the point where you would get zero power indications at key on.

Well I replaced the slave solenoid and cleaned the paint off the starter really good where it met the block and it now works, so it was one or the other... Thanks for everyone's help in getting it fixed!