Keeps cranking after engine start

[177CIOfPureLove]

This trusk is really starting to kill me. She has been so dependable, until this recent bout. Prepare for a little backround.

1989 Ranger xlt, 2.9 5spd,reg cab 4x2. About 2 months ago she stopped dead on the way to school, turns out the ground loosened up and that was why. Before this happened i thought my clutch interlock switch was bad because whenever i kicked the pedal down real hard usually she would start. Replaced the ground and she did okay. Then 2 weeks ago i had worked a double shift and went out with some friends to eat. I go to leave the place with the girlfriend, crank the engine over, to find the starter does not stop cranking! In a frantic I got my keys out of the ignition, opened my toolbox, opened my tools, dug around the mess for the right size wrench to take the negative terminal off, ran to the front of the hood, relized it wasnt open, popped it, and got that negative terminal off. She cranked for atleast a minute, keys out of the ignition in the off position (literally cranking the motor, not spinning on its own) I had a non working solinoid in my tool box i swapped out and roll started it to get home. Since i had replaced the solinoid just before in my ground fiasco i figured it was defective and got a new one. Well now this one is doing it too. Sometimes it just hangs the starter for a split second on starting, and then rarely it doesnt stop cranking. I keep the wrench in the cab i can get the cable off the battery in 6 seconds should she screw up. then usually the solinoid disengages or i hit the fender, put the termininal back on, and start it. Most times i get away with tapping the key over for a second or two and letting go, usually she starts right up. I replaced the starter after she cranked for so long, didnt want to risk having a cooked starter. This is my daily driver and its all i got in this world. I just replaced the ignition switch (OMFG what a PITA) and got the same result. please guys i cannot take anymore of this electrical nightmare. She has been nothing but reliable for years, only recently has this been occuring. (also would like to add my clutch interlock switch is currently jumped, the plastic insert is gone, i have a washer and a hitch pin holding it on the pedal pin, works great. thank you all in advance. I am desperate.

 

[pillen140]

solenoid, did you get your new one from autozone or similar? they are junk. i had to buy one for my mustang(i was in a pinch!) from there, the first one got so hot, it melted the stud and fell out... the second one, was defective out of the box, kept running the starter, like what is happening to you. i would get one from parts plus or napa, their electronic parts are usually a better quality.

 

[177CIOfPureLove]

I am well aware of the solinoid causing this, but this is my second one in 2 months.....i want to lean towards why the solinoid would stay engaged? Sure the solinoids both came from advanced auto...i could try a napa solinoid.....but idk....Why would it do it all of a sudden?

 

[pillen140]

most likely because its a cheap piece of junk, that probably cost $7.99

 

[177CIOfPureLove]

Oh wow....yea it was like $11.99. I figured out of 2 of them it would work....alright off to napa. I hope thats it.

 

[Mark_88]

That happened to me one night also...buy a good solenoid and the problem should go away...when you tighten the nuts on the solenoid be careful not to crank them too tight...I've snapped a few of them and they are not cheap...$15 here in Canada...or get a couple out of the junkyard and keep them in your toolbox...

 

[177CIOfPureLove]

I just got back from NAPA and bought the best one they had. $24.00 even. No problem, made in the usa, proud to have bought it thinking it would solve my problem. I go home and get it in the truck and the starter hung for a split second the way it always has, which means nothing is fixed. I depend on this truck far too much for it to be so hit or miss. Anything else you guys can think of? my clutch switch is also jumped, but it should not mean anything... (oh yea, the cheap crap solinoid, i shook it up and down the contact does whatever it wants inside, what a pos.) Why is my truck doing this!!!!????

 

[177CIOfPureLove]

Well, unless the starter hangs on its own...and always has....and the solinoid just so happened to crap out randomly.....i got the lifetime replacement starter from advanced....maybe i should tell them the rebuild one has a bad bendix?

 

[pillen140]

does the key spring back and return to "run" position after starting?

 

[177CIOfPureLove]

does the key spring back and return to "run" position after starting?

Yes Sir it does. Sounds like the bendix hangs.
going for my replacement starter now. I will tell you if i have any better luck.

 

[pillen140]

any luck?

 

[RedRanger69]

Mine is doing the same thing, except it a first it would just click the seleniod on the firewall, I had the started tested they said it was good. Tested battery bad, sold me new battery, same thing in the parking lot. Took it home and charged the new battery overnight and then it worked great for 4 days, then when I least expect it, click! So change the stock senleniod, works great for a few days and then click! I drove it for about 3 weeks parking on a hill every where I went so I new it would start. Then I noticed that if I tried to roll start it and only got the engine to barley turn and then hit the key it would crank and start. That got me thinking that the bedix was hangin in the flywheel so I said to heck with it and got the lifetime warrenty starter from AutoZone put it in on Friday and it worked great all weekend, then sunday when I turned the key it made a awful noise and the seleniod stayed ingaged I had 13V on input side and 8.5V on output side to the starter. But the starter was not turning the engine, thinking the seleniod went tits up I put the stock one back in, no change same thing, pulled starter for the 5th time, and took it back, they tested it and it tested good I watched him do it. So I gave up for the day I havent touched it since, They told me the only thing it could be was the ignition swicth witch is hard as hell from what I understand the steering colum must be dropped, yet you already did this and it didnt help, I am thinking about replacing my cables, I have the cable to make new ones. Just need the ends. Maybe between the 2 of us we can figure this out. I will keep you posted on my finding.

 

[RedRanger69]

Well I had to order the ground harness, It came in tuesday got it on and so far so good, my had alot of corrosion under the sheathing that you couldnt see, it passes a continuity check but starting was hit of miss, so I opted to replace it $36 I just hope that is the end of my problems, and I hope this might help you as well, I didnt realize that ground from the batt split of in that many directions I mean damn how many grounds does ford think you need to have? The one that attaches to the Frame under the right front fender was the most corroded and I suspect it was the problem. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[177CIOfPureLove]

Oh i am so sorry guys I wish i responded earlier....yes the starter was the problem the bendix worked but it was slow to return. When i asked for the replacement the person at the parts counter tested it herself and told me it was working ok, I told her that the testing bench was unfair because there was no load, reluctantly she gave me another starter and its been great since. I hope this helps someone.


(Yea, i replaced all of my grounds off the battery a while ago......i agree how many does Ford need?)