Ok....here's the deal.
i got in my car when i got off work this morning, i started it up and when it kicked over the starter didn't disengage so i turned it off and it kept cranking. there was also a grinding noise coming from something on the right side of the enigine but i couldnt see what it was because it was still dark. it eventually quit doing it tho. it is the second time it has done this and i love my car but i dont have a lot of money to throw at it.
it is a stock 84 gs with about 184000 miles on it.

please help.

 

Sounds like your starter solenoid is sticking in the engaged position. The grinding noise may have been the starter bushings getting hot from being engaged too long. I would put a new starter on it and that should take care of it.

 

Yeah, a new starter will take care of it. Mine does that once in a while too, I just haven't taken care of it yet...

 

Undo battery cable at battery...hose down the starter solenoid with W-40 and let it sit overnight, shoot solenoid with brake cleaner in morning and rehook battery cable. It might solve the problem without having to pull the starter.

 

thanx doods

 

Sometimes, not very often, a solenoid will stick like that. I've had it happen on English cars and maybe an Italian car. If that WD40 and Brake Cleaner routine gets you going, start looking for a replacement starter. They're about $90 from rockauto.com, but I've always had good luck with a $20 used starter from the junkyard, or even eBay. If you get a rebuilt starter be sure to take it right to an autostore that has a tester: sometimes rebuilds are defective. Too bad you can't just get a solenoid, but to tell the truth the nose bearing wears out about the same time as the solenoid on most cars.

It's pretty easy to R&R the starter: just disconnect the negative battery lead and go underneath. Just remember how the electrical leads hookup, otherwise you'll have to track it down in the manual. And maybe when you slide that lightweight spade lug on the top of the solenoid give it a little tweak with pliers so it doesn't pop off (it's happened to me).

 

I need closure...what happened with this story line??

 

im waiting for a morning off so i can try the wd40 and brake cleaner thing.