Hey Guys.Just like the movie!!Seriously,I shut my car off in the garage after coming home from work,a few minutes later the car starts up by itself as if someone pushed an Auto Start button.I had the keys in my hand also!!! Freaked me out!! Good thing I was not under the hood!! I disconnected the negative cable and she stalled out.During this tense moment I think I heard the starter grinding away while she was running.Any ideas where to start???? Thanks,Tony.
I heard you guys have good pot up there:laugh: I hope you get it figured out . I have never heard that before good luck.
Hey John and Randy.I seem to recall hearing about this sort of thing a long time ago...don`t remember.If I touch the negative cable to the battery I hear a click at the starter just as if you were to quickly turn the car over with the key.Sounds like the starter is locked in ready to go.I guess she is going on the stands and I am looking for bad wires starting at the starter.Randy...no comment...a few years back maybe!! Thanks.Later,Tony.
OK, call your local pastor and get the house and the car blessed then get some holy water... ha ha. Just kiddin. Wow, that would have surely made me freak out too. Same thing happened to my Dad's old Ford truck. It was a worn out ignition switch. His truck nearly ran me over in the garage one day. Manual tranny and we always left it in gear. Good thing it was a Highboy cause I jumped under it before it crushed me. Check out your ignition switch. Hope this helps
Hey Jason.Yea,I was quite freaked out..I have been having some "Hot Soak" issues with the starter on the new engine,so I was thinking the solenoid might be acting up.It does sound like it could be the Ignition switch also?? Hmmm...I HATE ELECTRICAL!!! Thanks.Later,Tony.
here is something to try if you are looking for ideas. keep the battery unhooked.....and without jarring or removing the starter, remove the "purple" wire (the small one closest to the block) from the solenoid. secure it so that it is not able to ground-out anywhere. stand clear of the motor/cooling fan etc.... and make sure the car is in park or nuetral. touch the battery cable firmly to its post. if the motor starts cranking, you have a bad solenoid. if the motor does NOT start cranking, clip a test light to a good ground and touch sharp probe to that wire that you removed from the starter. if the test light comes on, you probably have a bad ignition switch. but if the test light does NOT come on, you must dig in further. to dig further,i would disconnect the battery cable, remove the starter and then solenoid from the starter. if you stick your finger down the "plunger hole" on the solenoid and push the pin/button. if it dont spring back when you push it, the solenoid is your culprit. if it does spring back you can also take it apart to see if the spring inside looks like it could have trouble pulling the "disc" from the contacts. if you were to only replace the ignition switch and everything worked ok ...you couldnt be sure of how correctly the starter was functioning. if the solenoid looks good inside and all seems to function correctly, go ahead and replace the ignition switch. keep us posted!!:TU: BTW.... my money is on a bad soenoid.
The power of DELCO compels you! The power of DELCO compels you! The power of DELCO compels you! The power of DELCO compels you!
the nutral safty switch would have to fail in order for it to start up. not just turn over but duid it start? check that as well
Yuk and Greg.Thanks,I will do the tests as you suggested.I am leaning to the solenoid also as I have been having some trouble with hard hot starting.I recall when the car started up and was running(on it`s own) the starter was engaged with the engine. I tried choking the engine first and it would not stall as the starter was engaged and kept it running,so I disconnected the - cable to shut it off.This new 462 seems to make more heat at the starter and has more compression so my starter might be on it`s way out .Ken..a Delco priest might help!! I will probably be buying a high torque mini starter anyway regardless of the outcome.I will keep you posted.Thanks.Later,Tony.
Take it to the auto wrecking yard and have it put in the car crusher. Don't worry though...when it is removed from the crusher it will fix itself just like new again.
that would only be true on a car that has a properly installed HEI ... but a car that has a points style ignition (pre-74 and some 74 models) can do as he described. on the points style ignition the distributor gets starting voltage from the solenoid while the starter is engaged. so the car could be cranking over and running all at the same time .... its not a pretty sound:jd: .
THAT'S funny. I can see it now: In the next room, Linda Blair's head starts spinning and she starts spitting up Prestone. - Freed
Good thing I was not underhood when it happened...would be more than prestone flying around!!!!Later,Tony.
Christine has been exorcised from my GS!! And no Delco priest was required!! Thanks to Yuk and others I did the tests and it pointed to a bad starter solenoid.Swapped the starter for a good used one I had and it`s all good.The old starter was busted up inside from running with the engine.I have a mini on order and hope to swap that in soon.Thanks for the help.Later,Tony.
man i love a happy ending! think how bad it could have been if you had a manual transmission(in gear) when it happened, shoving some tool cart/workbench/shelving/chairs/patio furniture/fence through the grill of your beloved beast...YIKES!!! ...oh yeah .... people might be in danger too. maybe we should all go out a replace our starter solenoids today.:laugh:
