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Crazy starter

My starter cranks the engine without the key in the ignition. Replaced solenoid and problem solved ( for 20 minutes!!!). I have to discoonect the battery or the starter keeps cranking the engine. I checked the new solenoid and here's what I found:
a. Power between 3 postion and 12 position
b. Power from 12 position and 9 position
c. No power from 3 position to 9 position

I recently replaced the ignition part about 1/2 way down the steering column. Took it out and slides like new. Replaced the starter recently as well. When it comes to eclectrics I'm not too handy. Need help please.

Lawrence
 

blacksnapon

Moderator
Staff member
Check all your grounds (in particular the small one off the negative batt terminal).
 

Old_Paint

Old guy with old cars
225
29
Alabama
My starter cranks the engine without the key in the ignition. Replaced solenoid and problem solved ( for 20 minutes!!!). I have to discoonect the battery or the starter keeps cranking the engine. I checked the new solenoid and here's what I found:
a. Power between 3 postion and 12 position
b. Power from 12 position and 9 position
c. No power from 3 position to 9 position

Huh? 3,12,9 positions? What the hay are you talking about?

I recently replaced the ignition part about 1/2 way down the steering column. Took it out and slides like new. Replaced the starter recently as well. When it comes to eclectrics I'm not too handy. Need help please.

Lawrence
Would that perchance have been the ignition switch? Make sure you got the switch back in the same position, because it sounds to me like the Start contacts are closed at all times.

Yanking the battery cable off a starting engine is bad business. You're liable to ignite a hydrogen cloud and launch that battery, right into your face. Remember, they use Hydrogen to run the space shuttle. Under load, that battery creates a LOT of hydrogen. They WILL explode with very little help. I've seen it happen with a simple static discharge on a battery that wasn't even in a vehicle.

Dunno if the 87 has the fender mounted relay and starter mounted solenoid, or if the relay IS the solenoid. Easy way to verify. Look at the positive clamp of the battery. If there are two large cables leaving, the fender mounted relay actually operates a solenoid on the starter. There should be one large cable going to that fender mounted relay, and another going directly to the starter. On the starter, there will be two wires, one big one, one little one. The little one goes to the load side of the fender mounted relay. If only one, it should go only to the fender mounted relay, and from there to the starter. Only one large wire on that model of starter. If you replaced the fender mounted unit, and it worked OK for 20 minutes, then it sounds like the contacts are welding together. That's a pretty good sign of a starter going bad on the older style starters. Otherwise, there is a small red wire that picks up the coil in that relay. Check to see if it has power on it at all times. If so, see above about adjustment of the ignition switch you also replaced.
 

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