Starter Problem-Continuing-Wagonmaster

[MikeIIDC@domain.elided]

Hello, Folks,

Before I get too far into the meat of the digest, let me say that you
all missed a very nice dinner last night, as Tom Harais and his lovely
fiancee' Elsa, John Hofstetter, and Steve Stegman and his charming wife
Anne all met up for dinner.  I must commend the ladies for being patient
with us.  We did our best to talk about universal things that all would
be interested in, but it would always come back to IH at some point, and
the ladies would sit there and grin, shaking their heads, but waiting
patiently until we noticed them again.  Steve was out here for a
business conference, and Mr. Hofstetter drove down to join up with Steve
and Tom-and I invited myself along.  

So, onto the question at hand.  I was having the intermittent but all
too frequent problems withmy starting circuit.  It would start a few
times, then wouldn't start anymore-only a concern if it is dying or if I
am working on it, but still annoying.  I put in a new battery and things
got better, but still would do it, just after about ten starts this
time, not two or three.  I had already replaced the selenoid twice, and
the starter itself is strong turning when the circuit is completed.

Someone had me run a test line (Chris Procyk, maybe?) from my starter
directly to my battery.  Anytime it wouldn't start, I could leave the
key in the run position and touch that wire to my (+) battery terminal,
and the thing would kick right over and start.  I believe we were
running the wire from the "s" terminal on the starter to make this
work.  It works every time without fail.  I went to check out my
bulkhead connectors, as I would like to get the thing working on the key
switch, not getting out, TRYING to open the hood-which is difficult on
this truck-and then touch my jump wire to the battery.  This is not
really too impressive on the first date-should I ever get one!

Anyway, someone said that it was the sizable blue wires that run from
the bulkhead connectors to the starter.  Well, my bulkhead has two
sizable blue wires, one of which goes to the alternator, and the other
to the starter.  I tested the bulkhead connector outlets to both of
these, and there is juice getting through, even when the key is off. 
Only enough to show on my little circuit tester, but both are live.  I
thought that this was unusual, but figure it must be right, as I am not
having any battery bleed problems.  So, should I take this to mean that
the problem is between the bulkhead connector and the starter?  I was
thinking of just replacing this wire, but that looks like it could be
quite a pain and I want to avoid this if I am wrong.  Any input?  I
cleaned the hell out of the bulkhead connectors, reconnected, and am
getting the juice from the "prongs" that the big blue wires attach to.

Any and all help on this will be greatly appreciated!

Michael