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Starter runs after engine starts


dirtcowboy

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Bronco II with 4.0 from exploder. Starter keeps running after engine starts. Has new starter, 4.0 style with external solenoid, starter relay, batt cables and new battery. Right now the hookup is batt cable & fuse panel cable to right side of relay, starter main and solenoid wire on the left side. I pulled the solenoid wire from the left stud and, with the ign switch to "run", touched the batt cable side of the relay and the truck started like it's spozed to. I've never seen this before. Ideas??:icon_confused:
 


RonD

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Some 80's and 90's systems had this setup
Starter Relay has 2 larger posts and one smaller post, "S", very old relays had 2nd smaller post labelled "i"

One larger post should have all the wires, including Battery Positive cable, doesn't matter which larger post, there is no best side.
Second larger post should just have just 1 cable, it goes to starter motor, these starter motors active when power is applied, no relay inside
"starter wire" from ignition switch, red/blue stripe, connects to the smaller "S" post, this wire activates the fender mounted relay


Later models had the starter relay built into the starter motor, I think all 4.0l starters were this way, start motor will not active when power is applied to it's larger post
The starter relay on the fender was just a Power Distribution point with this type.
So starter motor cable would be connected to same post as battery positive cable.

And the Red/blue wire connects to smaller post "S" post on starter motor, so you may need to extend that wire.

On even later models the battery Positive cable ran straight to starter motor, and small positive cable ran to fuse box and/or distribution point with alternator and fuse box connections.


So your older BII would have had the fender mounted starter relay, and 4.0l starter would have the built in relay, so you have double relays, the fender mounted relay needs to be by passed

And the red/blue wire run to starter motor

In the future you could get 4.0l battery positive cable, it will be long enough to run to the starter motor directly and then run the smaller positive wire to the fender mounted starter relay post
 
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dirtcowboy

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O.K., thanks! The dude who owns this truck just changed the starter and "solenoid" and when he swapped out the ?solenoid? he just put the starter cable on the wrong post. Should have batt cable, fuse panel cable and main starter cable on one side with the starter solenoid on the other large post. The "solenoid" has 2 larger lugs and 2 smaller threaded posts one of which is connected to the ignition. I will give it a look tomorrow.

This is a running driving truck, I sold it to this dude 7 years ago and he hasn't had a lick of trouble until he wrenched on it hisself.

My BII/4.0 is in my shop on the other side of the mountains, too far for a quick looksee!
 
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RonD

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Not sure what you mean?

"starter solenoid" was the popular name for the starter relay that was mounted on the inner fender in older vehicles
And if the starter motor did not have a built in relay then the "starter solenoid" was used to pass battery power to the starter thru the larger cables, one on each larger post.
And Battery post on starter solenoid was also used as Power distribution post, for fuses and alternator hook up

Battery------------Starter solenoid-------------starter motor

red/blue activation wire runs to starter solenoid, "S" post

If using a starter motor with built-in relay, later models, then starter solenoid is not used to activate starter motor.

Battery----------\starter solenoid
..........................\--------------------------------starter motor

So battery and starter are connected directly, share the same post

The Red/blue activation wire runs to starter motor's "S" post

Picture of starter motor with built-in relay: https://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2014/02/08/21/32/pic-4644068173647346939-1600x1200.jpeg

You can see the larger post for battery cable and then smaller post for activation wire, red/blue wire


Now there are some drawings floating around that can be a bit confusing for this change over to starter motors with built-in relays

You still use the starter solenoid to activate starter motor, BUT..........you hook up the larger starter motor cable to Battery post
THEN run a smaller wire, Red/blue wire size, from the now open larger post on the starter solenoid to the smaller post on the starter motor with built-in relay
It is a Double relay setup so I find it a bit backwards

"I" post on the starter solenoid would run to the Coils "+" post, it gave coil full battery voltage when starting the engine, stronger spark for cold starts
This was no longer needed with most electronic ignitions.
It was used with systems that had a Ballast resistor or a Resistor wire that lowered coil voltage when engine was running.

If running a 4.0l then EDIS module runs the spark and wouldn't need "I" hook up
 
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zombiehorse

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I had this same issue on a B2 that I did a 4.0 upgrade to. My problem was a faulty ignition switch. Not the lock cylinder but the actual switch mounted on the column behind the dash. Hope this helps!
 

dirtcowboy

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For a 4.0 from an Exploder, transplanted into a Bronco II, the electrical device held onto the inner fender with sheet metal screws,(one sheet metal screw on the top and one sheet metal screw on the side of said device, anchoring it to the sheet metal inner fender structure), should have the pos batt cable, fuse BOX cable and main starter cable, (lg gauge wire from the starter), on one side of the electrical device with the small gauge wire to another electrical device, (starter solenoid), located atop the new starter), on the other large post. The top threaded small diameter post has a rubber boot that friction fits over it and it disappears into the dark, cavernous bowels of the engine compartment where lectric elves do their dooty. Thanks for the help. Simple explanation, he put a lg gauge wire on the wrong post and had some issues.

I stopped him from ordering switches, interloks and who knows what else he looked up.
 

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I had the same thing happen to me but it wasn't because of being wired wrong or because of the key cylinder.

Mine stalled on the way home in a snow storm (blizzard, actually) and when I tried to restart the engine I had to crank it for several minutes...that somehow managed to fry the relay (solenoid) on the fender and I had to have the truck towed.

I replaced the relay (solenoid) the next day and all was well...so I started carrying a spare relay (solenoid) with me...

In fact, I have three of them sitting in a bin outside right now all waiting for me to buy a new Ranger...:)
 

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