MEP-002A easy way to bench test starter

Have a spare MEP-002A starter. I cleaned it up and put it back together. I can make it run by bypassing the solenoid but I can’t make the solenoid pull in. I have continuity at the solenoid coil and it sparks but doesn’t pull in. I have a new solenoid and it does the same thing. Am I missing something about this particular stater? I need help!

Go to TM 9-6115-584-34. Go to PDF reader page 60-71. This cover the starter. On page 70, there is info you can use to do the testing you want to do.

How do I get to this TM I clicked on the number and it treats it like a telephone number. Maybe it’s because I am in Africa.

Go to the top of the page here.
Look for Technical Manuals.
Click on it.
Scroll down to Generator and Electrical TM's.
Click on it.
Scroll down until you get to "All the TM's you need to work on the MEP-002A. Its on page 3.
Click on it.
The last black square, on the right side is TM 9-6115-584-34.
Double click on it.

So after you remove power to the starter, it stays in the "out/extended" position?

No Gimpyrobb when I apply power 24v to the coil of the solenoid nothing moves it just sparks.

Guy fang, I found the TM but I am on my phone. I will have to come back to it later on the computer when the internet is stronger.
Thank you

Able to post a pic?

Have you ohmed out the solenoid to check resistance?

Are they the same between the 2 you have?

Does it work when not attached to the starter motor?

Thank you Guyfang and Gimpyrobb, I got it fixed. When I finally got the Pages Guyfang referred me to and studied the4m a while I realized that the solenoid has 2 coils one pull in and one hold. I was not ohming the pull in coil, just the hold. found out the pull in coil was bad. Put the new solenoid on and tried it. The pull in coil worked but did not make the starter turn. I looked down on the work bench and saw what looked like a small thick flat washer without a hole in the middle and realized it was supposed to go inside the hole of the solenoid plunger to give it a little more movement to the rod. put that in and put it back together and all works fine. Just curious I took the old solonoid apart and found the wire broke where it connects to the bottom post. I will try to solder that back tomorrow and hopefully have a usable spare. Since spare parts are hard to come by here in Africa it's worth the trouble. Thanks again guys.