[71chevss]

I have a 1985 C-10 Pickup with a new 305 engine, I bought the truck with out a engine. I am now putting everything back together. When ever I try to start the engine, the starter keeps cranking even when I put it to the OFF position. The only thing that stops it is to pull the battery cable, then after a few seconds you hear the starter release. This is a brand new starter. I only have the battery cable going to the large post and the purple start wire going to the inside small post on the starter. I looked at my other chevy and it has another wire going to the outside small terminal. Is this what my problem is? What is the other wire?

[roys63]

The starter may need shimming, to tight to flywheell?

[CardShark]

the second small wire is probably the wire to a neutral safty switch.

[dinger]

are you grounded and do you know if the ignition switch is a good one?

[dklong]

71chevss, take a test light and put it on the starter terminal with the purple wire, then get some one to crank the engine over, then tell them to release the key. then check the wire again for power. if you still have power with the key released, you may have a bad ign switch, but if you have no power , the problem is probably in the starter

[71chevss]

[quote]Originally posted by 71chevss:
<strong>I have a 1985 C-10 Pickup with a new 305 engine, I bought the truck with out a engine. I am now putting everything back together. When ever I try to start the engine, the starter keeps cranking even when I put it to the OFF position. The only thing that stops it is to pull the battery cable, then after a few seconds you hear the starter release. This is a brand new starter. I only have the battery cable going to the large post and the purple start wire going to the inside small post on the starter. I looked at my other chevy and it has another wire going to the outside small terminal. Is this what my problem is? What is the other wire? </strong><hr></blockquote>

[Jim Weeks]

I had this problem once and it was the starter selenoid. If you have already checked your ignition switch, I would take the selenoid off, disasemble it and inspect it to see if it is stuck in the on position. The starter I had was a brand new starter. Sometimes they are bad right out of the box.

[AutoReWire]

Howdy,

Al here with AutoReWire.com in beauitiful downtown Galt, CA

All of the above are possible causes. If the starter is noisy, I would also guess that it's out of alignment. Most new starters come with shims, there should be 1/8" clearance between the starter shaft and the teeth of the flywheel. Use a drill bit or 1/8" rod as a measurment tool.

Best to check the ignition switch by removing the purple wire from the starter. You won't have to deal with the starter sticking on you.

If after checking the starter clearance and doing the above tests you still have the problem I would remove the starter and bench test it. If it "runs on" on the bench it's most likely the solenoid.

The other wire on the solenoid is used on GM cars with point style ignition systems to bypass the resistor or resistor wire and provide full 12 volts to the coil during starting.

al

Al@AutoReWire.com

[jeepster boy]

I have a jeep with a chevy 400 and the starter did the same thing.ran and wouldn't quit. I don't know what it went to but I took one of the wires off of the starter switch and It "fixed"the problem

[Wrencher]

Your wire goes on the "s" start term, "wouldn't start if not", make sure that when you tightened it, it didn't turn and touch the batt. terminal on the solenoid!

[LostKnight]

I just ran into the same problem not more than a week ago on a Chevy 350 that was just going back together.

I had the starter checked before installing it and it was fine.
When first trying to start the engine the starter stayed stuck on and tried doing the thermonuclear meltdown of the battery cable before I got it yanked loose.

Since the car had been sitting awhile I figured maybe the starter or solenoid had just given it up. So I took the starter back out and down to the parts store to have it checked.

It checked out okay again.

So while I was there I bought a new ignition switch and replaced it. Since then the problem has not re-occurred. (My luck was that I already had to replace the turn signal switch and steering wheel, so I got to do it all at once.)

[hotwheels55]

Your wire goes on the "s" start term, "wouldn't start if not", make sure that when you tightened it, it didn't turn and touch the batt. terminal on the solenoid!

I thought this suggestion should be repeated. I've seen this happen frequently where the two terminals connect during the tightening process causing the run on.