Starter issue

[3MAX]

Ok, this is on an inboard boat motor, not a K5. It's a ford 351 with a remote starter solenoid. The starter was recently replaced, and now when we attempt to crank it, the starter continues to run even after the ignition switch is switched off. The solenoid tests out fine & we've tried a different one with the same results.

The ignition switch is working correctly, and I've tested to see that i'm only getting 12v to the soleniod when its in the crank position. I've verified this even when the starter is continuing to run - no power to the solenoid switch, yet it's feeding power through it to the starter.

The only way to stop it is to disconnect the battery. Then hook the battery back up, and all is fine until we try to crank it again.

I've also checked the grounds in the system and have not found an issue.

It acts like the solenoid is sticking until the bat is disconnected, but it operates fine with no load (starter disconnected) and two different solenoids do exactly the same thing.

Thoughts??

 

[BoondocK5]

Mis-aligned starter motor?

 

[3MAX]

No, the engine never fires - starter just continues to run until battery is disconnected.

 

[Fordum]

I'll bet its the wrong solenoid.
There are several types of Ford solenoid. I am going to assume that you think you have the standard type solenoid.
Coil hooked to the body and the one terminal on top.

If you have two terminals, then you may be using the wrong terminal.
Try taking all the wires off, and hook an ohm meter between the trigger terminal and the main terminals.
You should not have any reading between the them. I suspect you have the solenoid that has the coil hooked to one of the big main terminals and you ground the single one to fire the coil.

 

[3MAX]

I'll bet its the wrong solenoid.
There are several types of Ford solenoid. I am going to assume that you think you have the standard type solenoid.
Coil hooked to the body and the one terminal on top.

If you have two terminals, then you may be using the wrong terminal.
Try taking all the wires off, and hook an ohm meter between the trigger terminal and the main terminals.
You should not have any reading between the them. I suspect you have the solenoid that has the coil hooked to one of the big main terminals and you ground the single one to fire the coil.

Hmm...
The solenoid has two "main" terminals - one has the positive cable from the battery, the other has the main lead to the starter.

It also has two "small" terminals, and the 12v "trigger" from the ignition switch is wired to one of them.

It seems to operate correctly until we wire up the starter & put a load on it. Can you explain what we should try differently? Or what other type of solenoid I should try?

I've had several trucks with similar solenoids and I thought I knew how they worked, but this thing has me totally confused.

 

[Fordum]

Man, it should be simple, but I major tweaked my bad leg this afternoon, and its really distracting me right now.
There are several versions of that solenoid, but I can't seem to wrap my head around which one would cause this right now.

Make sure that the trigger wire that fires the solenoid is hooked to the S terminal, not the I.
I would take the trigger wire loose, make sure there is no gas fumes, and have someone turn and hold the key.
Then touch the trigger wire to the S terminal. There will be a spark, and the starter should start cranking.
Immediately remove the trigger wire and it should stop.
If it doesn't, try switching the two big wires hooked to the terminals from one side to the other after you stop it by pulling the battery wire.

Also, look very closely between the two small terminals and make sure there is nothing connecting them together.

They MUST NOT be tied together, or it will do this everytime.

I am going to take a dozen or so Tylenols and head to bed. I probably will not get back online until after 9 CDT tomorrow, but I will check back in then.