Starter Wont Stop
 

I started my car today and the starter keeped running. I went and bought a new solinoid. Put all the wires where they came from. When I attached the battery the starter wanted to go the keys weren't even in the car. I then took all the wires off the solinoid except the positive led and the + going to the starter the starter still wanted to go. What is going on here?

.....christine?......

sounds like it could be the ignition switch
-as

Yup. OR a sudden wiring flaw ? Grab the Ohm meter

I had the same problem I think, it was the relay we had to replace. Cost $4.95 :)

Frickin scary when your starter sits there and drains your battery and not much you can do.

Which relay the one on the soliniod?

You said you attached only the battery cable and the cable going to the starter, and it cranked over. If that's true, you got a bad solenoid. There is nothing else involved at that point.

The battery cable attached to one solenoid post, and the starter cable attached to the other, the only way power can go from one to the other is if the solenoid closes, and it can't without another voltage source and a ground. The solenoid is bad.


Take care,
~Chris

Yah what PKRWUD said :)

I fought this same problem for a long time. I ended up having to replace my starter along with the solenoid to finally correct it. That was after going through about 4 solenoids and replacing the ignition switch. Good luck!

I'm gonna go with the Christine theory, call a priest dude and keep your dog inside the house.

Lost me with this Christine stuff....:confused:

No priest needed. I fried the new solinoid. Removed the starter and tested it . Starter was fried also. So I replaced the starter but have to wait until Monday for a new solinoid so I'm starting it with a screwdriver.:rolleyes:
Thanks for your replies.

Christine is the name of a Stephen King novel/movie. It's about an evil possesed car, I think it was a Mustang in the movie, I'm sure it was a Plymouth Fury in the book.

Go to Blockbuster and ask for the movie, better yet, read the book. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

Movie was so-so for it's time, book is timeless.

The solenoid is attached to the starter. Are you sure you're not talking about the ignition relay which is mounted by the coil near the strut tower on the driver side?

A relay and a solenoid are basically the same thing in electronic speak, and the terms are usually interchangeable.

isnt a solenoid somethign that takes electrical energy and converts it to mechanical motion.. like an electric lock or something of the like... is it like an on or off type of thing?
-as

Yeah, and a relay does the same thing. A solenoid is basically a heavy duty relay.

I just finished an electronics class and the instructor explained what the only difference between a solenoid and a relay was, but I didnt really understand what he was talking about.

I think the solenoid has the armature drawn into the central hollow coil area, which usually isnt the case with a relay. The principle of operation is the same.

Like your door lock actuator would be a good example, the lock mechanism is retracted into the coil part of the soleniod. I guess a relay would just activate some contacts, and not have the moving part retracted or extended from the actual core of the coil inside.

The relay/soleniod on the strut tower brace used for starting is a relay, but might be constructed in a way where it could be considered a solenoid as well. i never tore one down.

Good info their Mach 1 and good to hear you got it working so far bud.

A solenoid has a core that moves when electrical current is applied. The core physically comes in contact with the switch it actuates. A relay is any device that can remotely activate a device based on an electrical signal. All solenoids are relays but all relays are not solenoids. You can call the thing on the starter and by the strut tower a relay, but you can only call the thing on the starter a solenoid. Does that make sense? :)

so the only one with a moveable core is the solenoid. yeah, that makes sense, although i cant picture why you would want a moveable core?

Can someone draw me a picture here? :D

I have the movie, it's a Cadi, I think a '66. I love the part where it would repair it's self.

A moveable core is better for heavy voltage. Like your starter needs. A relay has a little level that move like a pair of sisors. Making point A contact Point B, where Point A is the pivoit point. A solenoid is kinda like a button. U push down a button, where the whole core moves to make contact. But a solenoid uses electricity to move it, other then phyical force.


Try this sometime. Disconnect your starter wire from your solenoid, then have someone turn the key to start, it should make a thunk noise. Then just put your head near some relays, and have the person just turn the ket from off to on a couple of times. Should just be a click noise.

Relay: A device in which a set of contacts is opened or closed by a mechanical force supplied by turning on current in an electromagnet. The contacts are isolated from the electromagnet. It's purpose is to use low current to control a high current circuit. In other words, it uses current to move current.

Solenoid: An electromagnetic device that uses movement of a plunger to exert a pulling or holding force. In other words, it uses current to apply force.

A Relay is in the middle of a circuit, whereas a solenoid is at the end of a circuit.

The doohickey on the strut tower is a relay. The doohickey on the starter is a solenoid.

:)

Take care,
~Chris

PS- Christine was a 58 Fury in the movie, too.