keeps blowing fuse on starter relay/solenoid please help

[0nelowRanger]

i got a 96 2.3 and it wont start due to the starter relay fuse, everytime i try to crank the truck it will blow the fuse, ive looked everywhere for loose wires, ive had this problem before but all i had to do was tighten the starter relay connection bolts down, well this time i put a new starter relay/ solenoid on the truck its the fender mounted one, but still same problem, i have checked and rechecked all the connections and still no answers, so i am wondering that since there is no fuse for the starter could it be the wires off the starter that might be causing the problem, b/c i kno wthe starter is fine i can run a wire from the starter to the battery and it will crank just fine, or maybye if the new starter relay i bought might be bad? please help

[joebltzfk]

The truck has a starter relay and and a starter solenoiod. The relay is on the fender and the solenoid is on the starter itself. The fender relay serves as a current limiting device, and is also what activates the starter. The small wire to the relay goes from the fuse to the igniton switch, to the trans neutral switch to the clutch switch on a manual. On an automatic, it goes the same except no clutch (it is jumpered) and goes to the trans range switch.

I sounds as if there is a short in this circuit. I would take the small wire off the starter relay, bypass it with a wire to the battery positive. I would clip in a 15 amp fuse as is the normal fuse size. Have a bud hold the clutch in, and touch the wire to the start terminal on the relay. If the starter turns as normal, you know the relay start circuit has a problem. If it still blows the fuse, then the problem lies in the starter circuit. You can continue isolating components this way until you locate your problem. If you know how to use an ohmmeter, you can use it to locate the bad component(s). joe b