Ford Repair: STARTER & SOLENOID, negative battery cable, solenoid switch

Question
I have a 1994 E250 Econoline van, One morning it didn't start, and check engine and battery light comes up on dash. So I tried to get jump,still didn't start. That led me to Starter and Solenoid switch. I change the Switch first still no start, so I tried to change starter and had a little problems with one bolt. Finally if broke and I was able to get off old starter to install new one. Once I install it started smoking around to Solenoid switch. So I exchanged the starter for a new one, same thing, but with a screeching noise. Now I bought a new switch and starter and van won't start. Maybe the wires are crossed. I put exactly like previous installed. What do you think?  

Answer
Emanuel, the first thing I would do is take the battery to your local parts store and have it checked, and charged.  If the check engine light is on, there can be a multitude of things that can be wrong.  My first question is, will the motor turn over?  If the motor is turning over, but just won't start, then your starting system is working fine.  However, if your motor will not turn over, then you have a problem with your starting system.  Go into a little more detail about what the van is doing.  What noise is it making when you turn the key?  Is it clicking, or does nothing happen.  Are the lights in the vehicle coming on?  If you have a fender mounted starter solenoid, then your positive battery cable needs to hook into the solenoid.  Then you need to hook the solenoid into the starter with the other battery cable.  The negative battery cable should be grounded to the motor.  You said that the solenoid started to smoke.  Did it start smoking when you touched it with the battery cable?  Or did it smoke when you tried to start the truck?  If it started smoking when you tried to start it, then you probably didn't get it tight enough.  A loose connection will cause arching, and it will smoke.  If it smoked when you touched it with the cable, then you had them crossed.  If you crossed the wires, then bad things can happen.  You might have french-fried the system.  Let me know what is happening now that you have put the new parts on the truck.     Jason