wiring question

I looked at the wiring diagram for the v6 and found some differrences in the way that mine is wired. The jeep has worked fine since i got it untill just the other day and now it won't start unless you jump it off. The headlights make a 25 minute commute between work and home and never even start to dim so I don't think the problem is my Alt. But in the diagram the power wire off the battery goes straight to the starter, mine runes through what I'm thinking is the outboard voltage regulator. The whole time I thought it was a selenoid for the starter. Its located on my firewall. I guess I need pictures to better explain it to you guys so i could possibly get an answer. But from the at least from the symptoms I've listed can any of you give me a suggestion as to where to start. This is what I've done so far:
Cleaned all leads off battery and whatever that is on my firewall and onto the starter tightened everything back up tightened up alt belt. Still won't start just clicks....but if I put the cables on it starts right up.

Any suggestions???

 

Since it has it just started doing this recently, maybe a failing battery? You may want to pull the battery and take it to someplace that can perform a load test on it ...then again if the wiring is incorrect there could be other problems but start with the simple / basic things first.You mentioned that it has worked okay since you got the Jeep untill just recently , how long has it been working okay or said another way how long have you had this Jeep?

 

According to my memory (and checked against old posts) there was both a Prestolite and a Delco starter supplied with the V6. The Prestolite may have a fenderwell mounted solenoid. On the Delco, the solenoid is part of the starter. Both types should have a cable-sized wire going to the starter solenoid.

Not sure whether you mean 'cables on' as in hot wire, or as in jumper cables.

If you mean that when you jump the battery with jumper cables, and then the car starts, that's almost always a problem with the battery. All you're doing with the jumper cables is substituting a good battery for the one that's in the car. Battery failure is reeeeally common.

If you mean cables as in hot wire, then it's probably not the battery.

A starter solenoid will wear out or go open eventually. The solenoid is activated by a small gauge wire coming from the ignition switch. Remove this wire and test it with your meter to see if it is hot when the key is turned to the 'start' position. If not, the problem is likely the ignition switch. If so, then likely the solenoid.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions, I found out that the alt has the the voltage regulator built into it and it's a selenoid on my firewall. It was the battery that was bad the whole time, but to be on the safe side I changed all battery cables and terminals and the battery. Everything is firing dandy now.

THANKS!!!