Starter problem, won't shut off!

[the4biddendonut]

A little background one what's going on with the 91 SHO. The starter just one day quit working correctly. I would turn the key on and it would just spin and make a bit of grinding. I pulled the starter and it had some chewed up teeth and it tested bad, so I replaced it. I also replaced the solenoid at that time.

Here's where it gets good, I have my buddy start the SHO. It starts strong and then I realize the damn starter is still engaged and spinning. I tell him to shut it off and he says the key is off. I scream some obscenities at him and he pulls the key out of the ignition and shows it to me, while the car is still running! So I disconnected the battery as fast as I possibly could.

I discovered that the plastic top of the battery around the terminals had been cracked all the way around the terminals on both posts. I'm sure it was from someone pounding the terminals onto the posts at some point. Battery acid is leaking from the battery, and the cables are shot. I also tested the brand new solenoid I stuck in, and now it doesn't work.

So I decided to replace the battery, all the cables, starter, solenoid, and decided to upgrade the alternator cable since I'm in there. I'm also adding a quick disconnect to the battery.

I have to admit though, I'm a little nervous that the same thing is going to happen once I get it back together.

Can anyone explain why the car was still running without a key in the ignition???

 

[HotRodKid]

power is back feeding someplace, most likely via a relay or such that doesnt make contact untill you start the car, then wont shut off because its basically back feeding itself

pull a terminal to **** the car, then use a meter to see how much power the car draws while its key off engine off

 

[the4biddendonut]

I was thinking it was the solenoid itself possibly. It tested bad, but that could have been a result of what happened.

 

[SHO1]

Did you do anything w/the alternator cable stuff you were posting about a couple weeks ago before this happened or is this before you done anything besides replace the starter? Just said you upgraded it now, so I guess you didn't do anything before? Positive you hooked everything back up right?

Could be a bad ign. switch or something on that circuit that makes it act as if you're holding the key to start like the relay sticking. Disconnect the DIS module so the car doesn't start and test the starter engage/disengage, ign. key/switch on off, etc. a few times before actually trying to start it.

 

[SHOZ123]

Is it the starter or the engine?

 

[the4biddendonut]

Did you do anything w/the alternator cable stuff you were posting about a couple weeks ago before this happened or is this before you done anything besides replace the starter? Just said you upgraded it now, so I guess you didn't do anything before? Positive you hooked everything back up right?

No, I haven't touched the alternator cable yet. I'm replacing the whole power harness, and thought I'd upgrade the alternator harness as well.

Is it the starter or the engine?

I'll admit that I'm not 100% sure if the engine was firing or not when the key was turned off. It was making such a strange noise and I was panicked that it's hard to say.

It definitely sounded louder than a starter turning an engine over that isn't firing. I believe both the engine and the starter just kept running.

 

[SHOZ123]

If it is the starter the relay contacts are sticking. You need to replace the starter.

 

[the4biddendonut]

Just an FYI, I finally got around to fixing this problem. It was a bad solenoid, the contacts just stuck shut for some stupid reason.

I haven't upgraded the alternator cable yet, but I really don't have a reason to at the moment. I'll probably do that when I have some free time to ****.

 

[SeanMc]

Happened to me. I ended up replacing the starter.

 

[the4biddendonut]

The starter was brand new and so was the solenoid.