Starter sticking while engaged

The background information: 1951 Chrysler Windsor w/ factory everying. L6 Spitfire engine, 6 volt, original wiring, etc.

The car fires up and runs great. However my starter is sticking and continues to turn while the motor is already running. Is this a bad/stuck solenoid or something else?

This is the oldest "original" car I have owned, so the 6 volt, positive ground, flathead stuff is new to me. What should I check out first?

All of the wires are connected properly.

Thanks in advance.

 

Not up on that starter but would remove it and see if the retun spring is broken. Could be loose maybe check the bolts for tight. Does it come loose when you shut the engine off. Maybe a bad switch. Bench test might make the problem show also.

 

Yes, it disengages once the engine is turned off, however only after I disconnect the battery. If I shut off the engine and leave the battery connected, it'll continue to try and start the car.
BUT, sometimes it'll disengage on its own after a few seconds. Others, it won't.

Thanks.

 

Your solenoid switch is still closed. May be welded contacts or the starter switch is still providing voltage to the solenoid. Disconnect the small wire to the little post to see if starter switch is still providing power. If the starter stops, replace starter switch or ignition switch, if it has start position. If starter continues to run after removing small wire, contacts are welded.

 

Your problem is likely from the solenoid, which feeds electricity to the starter. Did you mess with the battery cables or the solenoid itself? I once installed a 6 volt negative ground solenoid upside-down and suffered the same problem you have.

 

Sounds like the solenoid to me,would also check to see if it is binding in the flywheel. May need to shim. my 2 cents.good luck

 

I had to install a new battery. The old one was shot, and wired backwards. This is a positive ground engine and it was wired negative ground. Could that have cooked the solenoid? Also, the previous owner has the ignition switch "start" pin wired directly to the soleniod instead of thru a relay. Is this ok?

 

The solenoid IS a relay and doesn't need another relay inline to trigger it. The trigger wire should run directly to the starter switch.

The problem I had on my positive ground system was that the solenoid was triggered from ground and triggered by a single wire that ran to a switch that grounds to the dashboard. When I accidentally mounted the solenoid upside-down, the battery cable and the starter cables were on reverse sides of the solenoid. For some reason, by triggering the solenoid to ground, once that connection was made, the solenoid self-grounded and remained engaged.

Your solenoid could have cooked, but they're pretty sturdy considering the current they normally handle. Sometimes they do get old and sticky. They're cheap enough to change out just for experimentation.

There are basically two kinds of solenoids --- those triggered by ground and those triggered by "hot lead" (ignoring polarity and voltage for the moment). If you're running 12 volt negative ground, then you need one triggered by a hot lead (the positive lead) and your starter switch in the dash needs a power supply.

On a positive ground system, the starter switch (****on) will just make the trigger wire get grounded to the body (dash).

 

I think it will do that when both of the small wires on the solenoid have been switched,if you had the starter off try reversing the wires and see what happens.