PROBLEM SOLVED: Starter keeps "starting" even after the engine does.....

[Greg72]

So I turn the key, crank the motor to start it.

Engine starts, but I can still hear the starter engaged and cranking (it's an ugly sound!)

If I knock the key back to the "off" position it will let go, but the motor dies too (obviously)....so I have to quickly go to "Off" and back to "Run" position quickly to get the started disengaged and keep the motor running.

It's a new starter and solenoid as of last year (this is my tow rig, not my wheeler).....is this likely to be a bad starter/solenoid or is this the symptom of a starter that needs "shimming" somehow????

 

[Jimbo*]

It's the contacts in the solenoid; they're burned/rough, and the sometimes "weld" themselves together.
You can take the solenoid apart and clean the contacts with a file, or just replace the solenoid.

It could also be the starter bendix not releasing and pulling the starter gear back off the flywheel. Either way, it's time to take the starter off and rebuild or replace.
Jimbo

 

[mxfireman]

Had that happen to mine it was the solenoid. Fortunately mine was under warranty still.

 

[rjfguitar]

Highly likely that it's just a sticky selenoid. You could start it, jump out, and tap on the selenoid gently with a small piece of pipe or something. Usually, that will knock them loose.

2nd thing you might want to check is the selenoid wire itself, just for fun, make sure it isn't staying hot itself even after the key is in the "run" position.

 

[MEK5]

A sticky starter can get ugly,as Jimbo stated its the contacts and/or the bendix not releasing.

I had a truck that I had a ton of money into that almost burnt up because of a stuck starter!
In my case the flywheel was warped and would not let the bendix release correctly if it hit a certain spot.Of coarse I didnt fiquire that out until 2 starters later and a combination Holley float flooding/starter wiring fire!

I would just try a different starter.

 

[Greg72]

Turned out to be a bad solenoid....

I tried to buy a "new" starter/solenoid combo, but the local part house didn't have anything but remanufactured.

So I bought a NEW solenoid and swapped that part out. PROBLEM FIXED!!!

The starter that was on there from last year was an AC DELCO....I was kind of surprised, I thought they were supposed to be decent quality???

Anyway, live and learn. I'd never replaced JUST a solenoid before so I got to see how that whole assembly actually looks inside.

My solenoid was a 3-wire deal.....the main, heavy gauge power wire, the "R" wire and in this case the "S" wire was also being used. Not sure if that makes the setup BETTER or WORSE, but that's what she's got.

 

[rjfguitar]

Do you have headers Greg? Headers ate up my stock selenoid.

 

[Greg72]

Do you have headers Greg? Headers ate up my stock selenoid.

Not on the 'Burb... just standard cast manifolds on a 350SBC.

I was driving it for about 8 straight hours towing 7500Lbs though. The water temps and tranny temps looked fine (tranny ran at 165 most of the time, 180 at the top of long uphill pulls)

I'm glad it was an easy fix. The motor is coming out soon in favor of a 496 stroker, so I didn't want to have to dump much $$$ into what's there.

To be sure, I'll be exploring ceramic coated headers on the new motor and probably one of those ThermoTec starter blankets just to keep things reliable.

 

[rjfguitar]

To be sure, I'll be exploring ceramic coated headers on the new motor and probably one of those ThermoTec starter blankets just to keep things reliable.

You'll want a mini starter, heat blanket, and maybe even a remote mounted selenoid.

 

[73K5Kid]

And last but not least don't forget the flux capacitor.

 

[76zimmer]

The starter that was on there from last year was an AC DELCO....I was kind of surprised, I thought they were supposed to be decent quality???

Could it have been an Asian import in a AC box....seems to be a pretty big problem in the parts industry.