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The Starter shock

Robert Schaad

Robert Schaad

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How can it happen. One day last summer, I came out of a store. I turned the key on my 72 Satellite and the engine started turning as normal. The engine caught and I released the key. The Starter continued to turn. I turned the key off. The starter continued. I pulled the Key out of the switch. The starter continued. I was now trying to figure this out. I pulled the wires apart under the dash. Still starting. Starter was getting hot and the battery was getting weak. Opened the hood and pulled wire out of battery terminal and the starter stopped. Was ready to have car towed home. I decided to put battery wire back on. Reconnect the wiring under the dash. Normal at that time. I put the key in and started the car as normal. Started and worked just as it was suppose to work. For the next several weeks, it worked normal. Then it happened again. I had already replaced the ignition switch so I replaced the starter relay. It has not happened again. It had the original relay from 1972. I am now replacing everything one peace at a time. Love my car and it makes me feel so great every time someone comments on how they had one in the old days, or they love the look.
 
my guess would be ignition switch.
 
Stuck starter relay or bendix itself.. key turned to off is two contacts away from the start postion.
 
I had that same problem a couple of years ago. The replacement Autozone starter went out so I replaced it with another one from Autozone since it was under warranty. I installed the starter and the starter wouldn't disengage. It was in March, cold, wet, and muddy! I have replaced starters before and never encountered that before. Well, I crawled back under the car, checked everything, re-installed it. No difference.
I was stumped. In a fit of pique I drove it a short distance and it quit engaging while the engine was running. I put it down to a sticky solenoid, foreign rebuild, etc. Three years later the starter is still in the car and works fine.
I gather, in your case, it was a bad starter relay?
I don't remember if the starter stayed engaged with the ignition off. Just that it stayed engaged while the engine was running.
I have never experienced a starter relay causing the symptoms you describe.
 
Aeronet said:
I had that same problem a couple of years ago. The replacement Autozone starter went out so I replaced it with another one from Autozone since it was under warranty. I installed the starter and the starter wouldn't disengage. It was in March, cold, wet, and muddy! I have replaced starters before and never encountered that before. Well, I crawled back under the car, checked everything, re-installed it. No difference.
I was stumped. In a fit of pique I drove it a short distance and it quit engaging while the engine was running. I put it down to a sticky solenoid, foreign rebuild, etc. Three years later the starter is still in the car and works fine.
I gather, in your case, it was a bad starter relay?
I don't remember if the starter stayed engaged with the ignition off. Just that it stayed engaged while the engine was running.
I have never experienced a starter relay causing the symptoms you describe.
Click to expand...
My starter stayed engaged at all times. I freaked out a little. I pulled the wires apart under the dash from the starter switch and it kept cranking. It stayed until I Pulled the battery cable off. New relay has solved the problem. I love reading the old manuals with trouble shooting sections. I read the internet also but most posts have no idea about the things that happen to old cars. Im 69 and have learned that MOPARs are simple and the solution to most problems is also simple. Thanks for the comment.
 
Robert Schaad said:
Thanks but starter was not the problem.
Click to expand...
the reason I say that is because in 30 years I've never known a bad starter relay to have that effect on the starter. every time I've known someone or myself to have that problem, it was the starter itself , or a bad ignition switch. i hope that fixed your problem, and that would be first for me to know that could happen.
 
I agree about the simplicity (relative) of these cars. "What can go wrong?"' Not much. I find it interesting that it was the starter relay. I've never had one do that. Was it a new one? Good to know. Thanks.
 
WP29440SE said:
the reason I say that is because in 30 years I've never known a bad starter relay to have that effect on the starter. every time I've known someone or myself to have that problem, it was the starter itself , or a bad ignition switch. i hope that fixed your problem, and that would be first for me to know that could happen.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Relay was the problem. So strange. Just letting our MOPAR guys see those strange things that can happen.
 
Aeronet said:
I agree about the simplicity (relative) of these cars. "What can go wrong?"' Not much. I find it interesting that it was the starter relay. I've never had one do that. Was it a new one? Good to know. Thanks.
Click to expand...
It was the original one. Should have replaced it. Looked so clean, I did not. Thanks for the reply.
 
They can be quirky. I call it working the bugs out. They each seem to have their own personality and consequent quirks. I've found that once you know your car they are quite easy to get along with. Love these cars.
 
Aeronet said:
They can be quirky. I call it working the bugs out. They each seem to have their own personality and consequent quirks. I've found that once you know your car they are quite easy to get along with. Love these cars.
Click to expand...
You are so correct. Once someone knows their MOPAR, many times a repair is easy.
 
Aeronet said:
They can be quirky. I call it working the bugs out. They each seem to have their own personality and consequent quirks. I've found that once you know your car they are quite easy to get along with. Love these cars.
Click to expand...
The maintenance books list those things that have gone wrong but not what MAY go wrong. You are correct in the quirky side. I went to a friend to help him work on 75 or so Cordoba. Car would not start. Here is what I did. Cranked engine. pulled dist cap off, and watched rotor turn. Seem to work. Put Dist cap back on, and no spark. Long story but short answer. The slot on the bottom of the Distributer that goes into the oil drive had broken off. With the Dist cap off the rotor moved but with the Dist cap on It did not move. SO SIMPLE. Replaced Dist and car started after months.
 
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