Starter, Solenoid, Ignition??

I broke the solenoid on the firewell and replaced it today. Truck cranked up fine the first time. When I tried to start it again the engine continuouly turned over. I even took the key out and it was still turning over trying to crank. I had to disconnect it from the battery. This really had me puzzled. When I reconnected the battery the truck was still turning over.(with out a key) So I thought maybe a had a defected solenoid. Went back to the part store and got another solenoid. Truck cranked just fine the first time. Turned it off and tried cranking it again and the same thing happened. The truck is trying to start itself. Now when I try to reconnect the battery it sizzles and sparks at the terminals. So at this point I cant even do testing for battery to solenoid problems. I really need some help. Whould this mean the starter is bad or the solenoid or the ignition?? 88 Ford Bronco full size

I have had some issues with my 92 lincoln where i would hop in and go to start it and the starter would keep running when the car was on and it sounded god awful, it also was eating the teeth on the sprocket by running continuous

i replaced my starter and the problem was fixed

curious as to if this issue just started when you put the solinoid in or was it happening before. if it was from the solinoid being installed you might have crossed some wires or have a faulty solinoid

yo I agree.

w/"curious as to if this issue just started when you put the solinoid in or was it happening before. if it was from the solinoid being installed you might have crossed some wires or have a faulty solinoid"

See our pal Seabronc's schematic, #3

here it is;

and by steve

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/285644/...terexploded.jpg

see the image and diagram that states Starter Relay (Old Style)?... ck your's w/a test light or meter; if ok, ck ign sw if you had this problem prior to blowing da relay up

also; this happens a lot; did you jump it?

"Runs On after the switch is released; This situation develops when the ignition terminal on the starter is

my guess would be crossed wires or bad starter

I've had this problem before on mine,replaced the solenoid and crank it the frist time and did fine....got in it to go to the store ....cranked it and just kept cranking even after i shut the ignition off....damn near melted the battery cable before i could get undone....amazing the damage a faulty solenoid can almost cause.....hope this helps..... B)

I have had it happen before as well... in my 67 Cougar

"parts store" brand solenoid ...

replaced two in the parking lot while the manager watched... both ran on after attempting to start,

will never buy the cheaper brand again.

Been almost 11 years since I replaced it with a Blue Streak one, haven't had a problem since.

Some possibilities are:

1. you got a bad start solenoid

Buy it from a professional auto parts dealer (not one of the do it yourself parts chain stores, (they have a reputation for

having bad parts right off the shelf)).

2. you got the wrong part

One is made for high current applications and the other is made for low current only (they look almost identical).

if you use the second type the contacts will weld when using it to run a starter. Check the contact amperage rating

on the box.

Good luck,

>-

Seabronc said:

Some possibilities are:
1. you got a bad start solenoid

Buy it from a professional auto parts dealer (not one of the do it yourself parts chain stores, (they have a reputation for

having bad parts right off the shelf)).

2. you got the wrong part

One is made for high current applications and the other is made for low current only (they look almost identical).

if you use the second type the contacts will weld when using it to run a starter. Check the contact amperage rating

on the box.

Good luck,

>-

Click to expand...

Thanks so much to all that has answered. To answer the question if this was happening before the solinoid was changed..no. The reason the soleinoid was changed was because I notice the feed wire to the starter was loose on the soleinoid terminal. Went to tighten and I broke the stud on soleinoid. I had to then replace soleinoid. I had no starter problems before this. I just got a chance to read all the responses and plan to return the 2nd soleinoid and purchase the better one and double check the wiring. I'll let you know how this turns out. Thanks

I found out I had a bad starter,replaced it and still does it. But I haven't changed the solenoid since I replaced the starter.I'm thinking the old starter welded the contacts in the new solenoid,cause when I tap on the solenoid before I crank it I dont have a problem,shut it off and restart keeps on cranking.So i'm thinking I should replace the solenoid again.? Thanks for the advice and the reason I'm now replying is that I don't drive the truck much. The reason I'm refering to it as a solenoid and not the starter relay is there's no solenoid on the starter itself. Is that wrong?

sumcirene said:

I found out I had a bad starter,replaced it and still does it. But I haven't changed the solenoid since I replaced the starter.I'm thinking the old starter welded the contacts in the new solenoid,cause when I tap on the solenoid before I crank it I dont have a problem,shut it off and restart keeps on cranking.So i'm thinking I should replace the solenoid again.? Thanks for the advice and the reason I'm now replying is that I don't drive the truck much. The reason I'm refering to it as a solenoid and not the starter relay is there's no solenoid on the starter itself. Is that wrong?

Click to expand...

You are right about the designation, the start relay is a low current device controlling a solenoid mounted on the starter. If there is no solenoid on the starter then what you are dealing with on the fender is a solenoid (high current device). You are also right about replacing the solenoid, get your next solenoid from a professional parts supplier not a chain store.

Good luck,

>-

Ok guys, I put a new solenoid and it still continues to turnover,but when i tap on the solenoid before i start it no problems.I'm wondering if my integral regulator could be giving me my troubles... Oh yeah, I was driving it the other day and wouldn't you know the bearings in my fan clutch go out and thank god it didnt mess my radiator up so now I got two problems but the fan clutch i got with no problems the starting problem is another thing. I have also checked all my grounds and battery cables and by reading other peoples problems on this great site thats why i'm thinking it might be my integral regulator. Dont the integral regulator do the same thing as a voltage regulator?

The integral regulator serves the same function as the fender mounted one. One is on the fender and the other is mounted on the back side of the alternator. And no it won't cause the starter to continuously crank. It is the thing pointed to saying the same plug.

What is the contact rating of the solenoid you are using?

Sounds like a good time to install an electric fan or go to a junkyard and get one from a Bronco, F150 or F250.

Good luck,

when you installed the new solenoid did you make sure there were no issues with the wires going to the front of the solenoid? and what year is your bronco?, when its doing the thing that it doesn't stop turning over try disconnecting the battery, pull off the wires on the front of the solenoid then re connect the battery, see if that does it. if its solenoid then it'll spark and start turning over. or when its doing that before disconnecting the battery, pull off those wires. If that doesn't stop it then the short is between the battery and starter.

my 69 mustang did this for a bit, we tried swapping the solenoid and it didn't work, so we cleaned up the inner fender for a better ground, and tightened up the wires going from the solenoid to the starter, I also put the original one on and it hasn't happened since, we still never narrowed it down to what fixed it.

Thanks for the pic Seabronc. By the pic I seem to have 2G,kinda wondered myself. I don't know the contact rating? Yeah I got the fan thing under control, thats cake compared to this starting issue I have, It's a 88 with 302 4x4 stock all the way. When I replaced my solenoid (sum time back) I was trying to jump off another car,I wasn't getting a good connection when I was looking at my solenoid ane checked the cable and the stud broke off in my hand.Replaced the solenoid and thats when I began having this problem. So I checked my cables and links took the starter off had it checked and there was a short in it so the guy said,got a new starter put it on and for the first 3 start-ups no problem after that back to what it was doing.Oh yeah after the first solenoid I took it back then put the second one on and it kept doing the same thing;thats when I changed the starter and now after that just incase, I went and got another solenoid from another place and its still doing it.Now when I replaced the solenoid I took my DREMEL and took it down to the metal before I put the solenoid on,also theres a factory braided ground cable I put between the solenoid and the fender and that cable is grouned real well. I think that sums it up. I thank everyone who responded and is taking the time to write back.

Krafty said:

when you installed the new solenoid did you make sure there were no issues with the wires going to the front of the solenoid? and what year is your bronco?, when its doing the thing that it doesn't stop turning over try disconnecting the battery, pull off the wires on the front of the solenoid then re connect the battery, see if that does it. if its solenoid then it'll spark and start turning over. or when its doing that before disconnecting the battery, pull off those wires. If that doesn't stop it then the short is between the battery and starter.
my 69 mustang did this for a bit, we tried swapping the solenoid and it didn't work, so we cleaned up the inner fender for a better ground, and tightened up the wires going from the solenoid to the starter, I also put the original one on and it hasn't happened since, we still never narrowed it down to what fixed it.

Click to expand...

Well when it keeps on trying to start and I take the negitive cable off it stops the starter and the truck. it sounds like the truck is trying to run but the starter keeps spining/grinding. A couple of times, before I replaced the starter I would take the neg cable off and when I would try to put it back on; the starter would try to continue start and sparks at the post and cable. But now if I tap on the solenoid before I crank it up I dont have any problems,but if I dont tap the solenoid first then it will keep spinning.I hope that answers your question Krafty, thanks!!

Im having the same problem..

First thought it was the ignition cylinder (hard crank) but ended up being the rod.

Thought about replacing it with push start so I dont have to deal with it all but when I

disconnected the wires to the ignition switch it still was doing the sizzle thing you said.

I have NEW: starter, solenoid, alternator, wires, blahh

connected it all by the book, and all was fine until now.

So I need help on what to look for

(83 FSB, auto 302)

sumcirene said:

Well when it keeps on trying to start and I take the negitive cable off it stops the starter and the truck. it sounds like the truck is trying to run but the starter keeps spining/grinding. A couple of times, before I replaced the starter I would take the neg cable off and when I would try to put it back on; the starter would try to continue start and sparks at the post and cable. But now if I tap on the solenoid before I crank it up I dont have any problems,but if I dont tap the solenoid first then it will keep spinning.I hope that answers your question Krafty, thanks!!

Click to expand...

I'm having the exact same problem with my 1987 Bronco, and have narrowed it down to the little ignition wire that energizes the solenoid (red/light blue stripe). If you bridge the battery-side of the solenoid with the little energizer pin, the starter spins - but most importantly, the solenoid doesn't stick anymore. If you replace the red/light blue cable and start it with the key, then it sticks.

Attached is a copy of SeaBronc's diagram (thanks btw!) with the faulty wire highlighted in red. Circled in blue is a junction (C121) which connects it with the ignition module. Somehow when this wire is energized, it makes the solenoid stick, but when the same pin on the solenoid is energized from the battery, it is fine.

Any ideas?

It was the solenoid/relay however you want to call it; after putting 3or4 aftermarket ones on (spent the same amount of money) and went to the dealership and got the right one, MOTORCRAFT. I'm still kicking my own butt for not getting MOTORCRAFT to start with.... So after all the checking of the wires down to replacing the ignition switch then getting MOTORCRAFT;getting it running was a good feeling...till the cooling fan fell off at 60mph so then replaced the fan clutch and now I've got to drop the drivers side exhuast manifold to replace a freeze plug. Oh the wonderful life of Bronco ownership. Well I hope that this helps someone from pulling there hair out.

Glad you got it running.

Was that a built in China part?

And if you have time, you could buy Motorcraft parts from Advance Auto Parts w/a cash/CC advance at a slight discount or through other sources on-line such as AMAZON w/free S&H depending upon part $. I recently bought a new DPFE from AMAZON at a savings of over $100.00 vs dealer cost. And I saved 7% State Sales Tax.