Car:
1985 GSL-SE - stock, ~80K miles, no rust, not winter driven.

A little history:
Replacement #1 - A year ago the starter died. Replaced with an aftermarket unit.

Replacement #2 - Replacement #1 lasted until this July (but only ~500 miles as the car is stored for half the year and not driven a whole lot when it isn't in storage). Thought it was odd but not unheard of. I wasn't driving it when it died, but strange electrical behavior is described - dash lights on/off, radio died, and windows stuck down. Found a loose/corroded terminal. Cleaned terminal, tested battery (fine - also a year old - 12.8v and CCA right where they should be). Blame the electrical oddness on the loose terminal. Not sure why the starter went away.

Replacement #3 - Installed in July, drove around the block, started a dozen or so times, everything seems fine. Next morning the starter stays engaged, but again is not being driven by me. Car is shut off three miles away and will not restart. I removed and bench tested the starter - bendix extends, but does not spin. Starter is fried. I notice that the ignition switch is sticking some (allowing the key to remain in the 'start' position) and blame all of this starter cooking on it. Changed the ignition switch (the electronic portion in charge of all things electrical and also responsible for returning the key to the 'run' position after starting).

Replacement #4 - Installed after the ignition switch discovery. Start car a dozen or so times, drive it 10 miles to get it up to operating temps (and to have a little fun), and then start it a bunch more times. Later that evening the starter stays engaged again. Shut it off as not to cook yet another starter. Try to start it a couple of times all with the same result - starter stays engaged. I removed the ground wire from the battery to the engine (I've had starter solenoids get stuck 'on' with a poor ground circuit), and even went so far as to cut the plastic sheathing from it but it appears fine. I've made another to replace it, but that's as far as I've gotten.

This is frustrating in that it hasn't acted up in my presence until this last time so troubleshooting hasn't been easy. I've finally gotten it to act up on me so I've decided to put it up here to see if anyone has run into this or similar. Is there a run or start relay that might be getting stuck on and telling the starter solenoid to remain engaged? I've run out of good ideas and am sick of throwing $$$ at it (since I usually get it with a dead starter and it behaves normally after I replace it).

Any ideas? Thanks in advance! End my misery!

Luc

 

Bump for a real headscratcher......

 

All I can add is that I had the same thing happen on my SA. My SA had the original starter still in it and I had purchased a "new" one a few years ago in anticipation of the clutch going out, then I would replace both while the car was on stands.

Well to make a long story short the new starter did the same thing, so I threw the old one back in and still to this day do not know whats wrong with the "new" one.

I think instead of getting a reman from some auto super store when the starter does go out, I'm going to a reliable rebuild place and have it rebuilt. I did that with my alternator and its been golden since then.

 

It could be the little switch inside the steering column. A friend's '81 has a similar problem where the starter will continue to crank for like 10 seconds after the key is rotated CCW to the ON position. I think it's the switch.

 

Switch, or a sticking solenoid. That's about the only two items that can cause this type of issue, unless someone has done a hair-brain rewire somewhere along the way.

 

Those are both good points. I'll try a different starter first, and the car HAS been rewired by a hair-brained PO. He took off the steering column plastic covers and ran a funky twisted pair of wires from the column to the fuse box.

 

happened to me with a 79 SA
started ...RPM slammed to 5000 and I shut engine down...tried it a few times more and same thing.... took the old starter out and taped up the wires. A passerby and myself jumped pushed the car on a flat side street and I drove it home.....replaced the starter and all was well again

Must have been the solenoid.

hope some of this info might help


Jeff was it you who needed the delloto bolt pattern dimensions? still hav'nt gotten to my car to check.

regards
two79rx7's

 

Thanks for the input, folks. The starter switch was replaced and as far as I know there has been no rewiring of the car. It's my folks' car and they've owned it for about 10 years now. If there was anything hinky done it was before then. There haven't been any problems of any sort until now.

I find it hard to believe that three starters in a row (from two different sources) have bad solenoids. Just seems too coincidental. Anyone know if the start signal from the switch goes through a relay or something else before triggering the starter solenoid?

Thanks for your input thus far and keep the ideas rolling!

 

It was the Doc.

 

I thought I'd update this post for the sake of closure. I installed the new 2/0 ground (overkill, but it's what I had handy) and it seems to be fine now. I also added another wire from the alt to the battery and there is no more dimming of the lights at idle. With crossed fingers I think I'm good to go!

 

Thanks for posting a follow up.

I installed a 4 guage ground cable in the REPU yesterday. I would have prefered 2 guage, but no luck, and I didn't feel like using my 2/0 cable. I'm saving it for the battery relocation in the 1st gen.