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427heaven

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
251
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2
Location
Arizona
My Car
1971 m code 4 speed Mach 1
The big bad red Mach 1 is almost going to run except one problem, when trying to start the engine it fires up but the starter does not disingage until I turn the key off what did I wire wrong or what might be causing this:huh:

 
I just recently had the same problem with mine. For me I found a not quite charged battery was the issue. It kept trying to start but in trying the solenoid heated up seizing the contact point. That made my starter continually spin even after taking the key out.

So I let the battery charge fully overnight. Put it back in and gave the solenoid a whack with a hammer to make sure it still wasn't seized. Started right up on the first try with no issues. Hope this helps!

 
I started with new parts because everything was so old- new battery,cables,soenoid,starter,ignition switch, starter stays engaged when turning car on! I must have a wire crossed somewhere just dont know what to do at this point? Help!!! Any one understand what might be happening?

 
So you pulled the steering wheel and replaced the ignition switch, as well as new solenoid and starter. Does the key spring back to "ON" after you release it from the "START" position, or do you have to manually return it? Do you have another solenoid to swap just to see if there's a factory defect in your new one?

 
Had a similar problem to yours, only in my situation the starter would engage at random

even when I was driving the car. Found the problem was in the steering column with a

mal-positioned linkage between the ignition switch and starter switch.

mike

 
1. When you turn the key to the RUN position does it try to start?

Or do you have to turn it to the start position to get the starter turning?

2. You have to turn the key to the OFF position and that kills it?

3. Are you sure the starter is running from the electric or could the bendix be hanging up when the engine starts causing it to keep spinning??

 
If you have a multi-meter, with every thing OFF and battery disconnected, using the resistance function, measure between the two large posts on the solenoid (relay). It should read open or infinite resistance. If it reads any where close to zero ohms the contacts in the solenoid have fused together for some reason. Second test really require two people. Everything connected as it would be normally. With the meter set to VDC touch the + (red) lead to the small post closest to the front of the car (with the wire on the post) and touch the - (black) lead to chassis ground. Have the second person start the car and release the key to the run position. You should see voltage when the switch is in the start position but go away when the switch is moved to the run position. If test one and two are good then it is as 73machman said, hung starter. If the voltage doesn't go away when the switch is moved to the run position it is either faulty wiring or misadjusted/defective switch/lock/rod on the column. Chuck

 
Thanks for the replys. What seems to happen is the ignition switch might be out of adjustment because when it starts sometimes no matter what I do with the key it just keeps running! I think I cooked at least 2 solenoids trying to sort this out. I have a meter and am fluent with its use, but I dont know is what voltage at what post at what time/ and what is the proper way to set the ignition switch the one half way down the column! The starter is doing the same thing with old or new its not hung up because I can here it engage to start the car. It seems to fire up in the run or start position of the key! Hope this is self explanitory, frustrated beyond words.

 
If you have a multi-meter, with every thing OFF and battery disconnected, using the resistance function, measure between the two large posts on the solenoid (relay). It should read open or infinite resistance. If it reads any where close to zero ohms the contacts in the solenoid have fused together for some reason. Second test really require two people. Everything connected as it would be normally. With the meter set to VDC touch the + (red) lead to the small post closest to the front of the car (with the wire on the post) and touch the - (black) lead to chassis ground. Have the second person start the car and release the key to the run position. You should see voltage when the switch is in the start position but go away when the switch is moved to the run position. If test one and two are good then it is as 73machman said, hung starter. If the voltage doesn't go away when the switch is moved to the run position it is either faulty wiring or misadjusted/defective switch/lock/rod on the column. Chuck
You took the words right out of my fingers! thats where I was heading with the question I asked! ::thumb::

 
Heres another strange thing I noticed there is a collar on the steering column just below the steering wheel that rotates 180 degrees , this is where the turn indicator screws into that seems to mess with the little rods that are a ignition function of some kind. I see how the long one that runs down to the ignition switch works but what about the other one?

 
If you have a multi-meter, with every thing OFF and battery disconnected, using the resistance function, measure between the two large posts on the solenoid (relay). It should read open or infinite resistance. If it reads any where close to zero ohms the contacts in the solenoid have fused together for some reason. Second test really require two people. Everything connected as it would be normally. With the meter set to VDC touch the + (red) lead to the small post closest to the front of the car (with the wire on the post) and touch the - (black) lead to chassis ground. Have the second person start the car and release the key to the run position. You should see voltage when the switch is in the start position but go away when the switch is moved to the run position. If test one and two are good then it is as 73machman said, hung starter. If the voltage doesn't go away when the switch is moved to the run position it is either faulty wiring or misadjusted/defective switch/lock/rod on the column. Chuck
You took the words right out of my fingers! thats where I was heading with the question I asked! ::thumb::


If you have a multi-meter, with every thing OFF and battery disconnected, using the resistance function, measure between the two large posts on the solenoid (relay). It should read open or infinite resistance. If it reads any where close to zero ohms the contacts in the solenoid have fused together for some reason. Second test really require two people. Everything connected as it would be normally. With the meter set to VDC touch the + (red) lead to the small post closest to the front of the car (with the wire on the post) and touch the - (black) lead to chassis ground. Have the second person start the car and release the key to the run position. You should see voltage when the switch is in the start position but go away when the switch is moved to the run position. If test one and two are good then it is as 73machman said, hung starter. If the voltage doesn't go away when the switch is moved to the run position it is either faulty wiring or misadjusted/defective switch/lock/rod on the column. Chuck
You took the words right out of my fingers! thats where I was heading with the question I asked! ::thumb::

Heres an update on my electrical gremlins- car will start when I jump from battery hot side of solenoid to + side of coil and remove the (s) wire on solenoid suggesting both the s and i are somehow tied together but when you read resistance between them it is an open circuit? Getting closer but not quite- HELP PLEASE!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Definitely an issue with the starter solenoid. The S and I lines are not tied together except when connected to the starter solenoid AND you're cranking the starter motor.

OK...for the next test, remove both the I and S slip-on connectors, and instead of jumpering to the coil from the battery, jumper to the I wire (brown or red/green). The car should start when you jump the starter solenoid to crank the starter.

 
Definitely an issue with the starter solenoid. The S and I lines are not tied together except when connected to the starter solenoid AND you're cranking the starter motor.

OK...for the next test, remove both the I and S slip-on connectors, and instead of jumpering to the coil from the battery, jumper to the I wire (brown or red/green). The car should start when you jump the starter solenoid to crank the starter.

[/quot I removed both wires from the solenoid and it wont start with the jumper on to the (I) solenoid post- no crank, no start! If I put it on the s it trys to start as it should.
 
The I post is the ignition post; the S post signals the solenoid to send power to the starter and to the I post.

What I'm suggesting is that you jumper to the disconnected I wire, not the I post. There is no input signal to the solenoid from the I post: it only receives voltage during cranking, over-riding the resistance wire to the coil. You can only jumper the starter motor by jumping the battery post to the S post.

 
The I post is the ignition post; the S post signals the solenoid to send power to the starter and to the I post.

What I'm suggesting is that you jumper to the disconnected I wire, not the I post. There is no input signal to the solenoid from the I post: it only receives voltage during cranking, over-riding the resistance wire to the coil. You can only jumper the starter motor by jumping the battery post to the S post.
10-4 I will try that out!


No go on that test?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
If that test goes bad, then there's something wrong with your I wiring: could be something as simple as a broken wire (not uncommon) or high resistance at the molded slip-on connector (I find that about 25% of the time).

 
If that test goes bad, then there's something wrong with your I wiring: could be something as simple as a broken wire (not uncommon) or high resistance at the molded slip-on connector (I find that about 25% of the time).
Thanks for taking the time to review my problem I will check the I wire in the am for breaks, shorts, etc.

 
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