jdl, I think truckernix is correct. Anyway, the gizmo on your starter is a 'switch.' A solenoid is a coil that has a moveable core in the center. When the solenoid energizes, it pulls the core toward the center of the coil. That movement is used to shift something- starter drives, in the case of engine starters. A solenoid may also have a contactor (switch) that connects electrical terminals together- as with engine starters again, mostly Delco Remy starters, but others use that setup also.
Harvester
