We are trying to find the fuse for the starter solenoid. the car is a 1998 ford escort lx and will not turn over so we are thinking it's the solenoid but want to check the fuse first.

Fuse panels reside under the hood in the glove-box under the dash { usually drivers side} or on the side of the dash just as you open the door i believe yours is under the hood should be a black box driver side

forgive me i am tired but check the crank sensor fuse and it may be a low battery to a corroded contact on the battery or to the starter as well .

do you have lights and horn etc ...sometimes they may all work and i did this just a week or so ago on a brand new vehicle and battery with merely a 1 /10th of a second in connecting the jumper-cable started the vehicle ...turned out to be a dead-cell in the battery

the starter solenoid is on top of the starter ..also note it may be a faulty ignition switch when was it last running..had it make any noise etc as to say like a popping noise before it quit or something

I don't know about the 98 Escort, a fuse on a starter circuit is very unusual.

You should check the voltage at the battery - then at the starter solenoid, battery side. If you have 12 volts at the battery, 12 volts at the battery side of the solenoid, great. Now, have a partner turn the key to start position and test the starter side of the solenoid. If you haved 12 volts with the key on start position, I would be thinking starter. If you don't have 12 volts on the battery side with the key in start position, I'd be thinking solenoid.

You could also jump the solenoid with a jumper cable to check the starter operation.

Use a volt meter if you have one - a 12 volt test light if you don't have a meter.

Thanks for your question at FixYa.com