Ford problem

[FuZzY]

ok besides the fact that is a FORD, there is an issue.

heres what i have done in the last week.

brand new started and solenoid. brand new battery. changed the battery posts.

cleaned up the conntections all over.

still every second day something goes wrong.

today, the problem is the started engages,a nd the truck starts, thats good... but the starter stays engaged. so i took the negative post off. it stopped. truck stalled.. (dont know why it wouldnt.. its a ford after all)... hook the battery back up.. same thing happens.. i was to angry to stay there and try and figure it out so i got a ride home to cool off before i kicked a fender.. or a mirror off of it.

what would cause the starter to stay engaged after the key goes back to just the key on position?

[hp2]

fuzzy I would take the starter off and take it in to algoma and have the rebuild it.. or take it back to where you got it.. and tell them its brand new and will not disingage when key is let go.....

Might there be a bad ground? not grounding right?

[Soundbear]

Hold it, hold it.

The Ford has a separate starter relay (usually, incorrectly, called a solenoid). It's on the fender near the starter.

If it's stuck on, the starter won't quit. Also, if the engagement arm in the starter is stuck, the starter won't let go.

Seems to me it's the first problem, since the starter would NOT begin to immediatly turn the engine if only the starter itself had a problem.

All of the above assumes a system I am (intimately) familiar with on older Fords.

[Soundbear]

And it might be the starter switch is staying on??

[FuZzY]

thanks for the tips. it is sparatically happening still.

i have changed the relay(i call it solenoid) on the inner fendor. and have taken all the related wires off and cleaned them up.

still doing the same thing.

someone suggests that it might be the ring gear... has anyone else heard of this?? i dont want it to be the ring gear.. i just changed the tranny, and definitly dont want to take it out again!

[Soundbear]

I'm wondering if the starter has a spring missing. There's an arm that pulls toward the starter, inside that tapered cover. It pulls the starter drive into the flywheel. I think it has a spring that helps to push the little gear BACK when the power goes off.

If you changed the relay on the fender, then it should be OK.

Procedure: BE CAREFUL. Make SURE you are in park, or neutral. Turn the key to the ON position. Take the small angled connector nearest the hot wire(from the battery)off the relay. (sometimes it's the other one, but rarely in a pickup.) Using a jumper wire, or even a screwdriver, short between the HOT post of the relay and the small post. The starter should turn over AND RELEASE when you take away the jumper while the engine starts. Turn the key off to stop the engine and try again.
If the starter releases after pulling away the jumper, and this works repeatedly, then something is activating the relay, maybe the key switch. If it does NOT release, then pull out the starter. It may have the above spring issue.
I doubt if the flywheel would hold in the starter drive, what with the spring (thats supposed to be there) AND the starter drive rotation, which is supposed to throw the drive back when the engine starts.

If this makes you nervous gimme a call and I'll have a look. 987-1464

[FuZzY]

Thanks for the offer Barry. i'm not scared.. i've touched 240v before.. its a jolt, but only tingles for a while haha.. i will however givet that a try when i get home.

[Soundbear]

It ain't the voltage that's the problem, it's the getting run over when you start the truck from under the hood.

I hate it when that happens. Didn't get run over, but I was dragged across a parking lot once!!