i was driving my samurai to  my girlfriends house, and when i got there i shut the car off and heard a noise. after opening the hood it turns out the starter is just running. and wont stop. its not engaged on the flywheel it is just running. only way to stop it is to disconnect the battery.( and every time i connect the batter the starter just turns right back on.) i need to know how to fix this as this is my daily driver and need to get to work tomorrow. any help in the solution of this problem will be much appreciated.

thank you tyler

Long shot, but it sound as if the actuator that pushes the gears out to the fly wheel is stuck.  Put the rig in neutral,  dont turn the key and wack the housing of the starter with a rubber mallet to see if it will break free, then turn have the GF turn the key while out of gear and you watch what happens.   If it still does not engage the fly wheel, then wack it while she has the key on.  Also plan on getting a replacement starter asap.

its not that the started is not engaging is that it wont shut off if i have the keys in my pocket and connect the batter the starter will run.

Sounds like a bad starter solenoid, it's shorted , just causing the starter to run but not engage.

is there anyway to fix that? smack it with a hammer maybe?

Yes, that might work for a temporary fix, you have nothing to lose.

alright thank you i will try that tomorrow morning

No problem, hope it works for you

I would say replace it I agree with Weldboy

Forsure the starter solenoid is stuck in the engage position, however it could be one of two things.  Either like dough said, bad solenoid, or it could also be a bad relay.  Both of which are not terribly expensive and easy to replace.  This is only if you are sure it "wont shut off".  When you DC the batts does the teeth of the starter stay engaged with the flywheel?  You should be able to isolate the starter solenoid by disconnecting the smaller wire coming from the relay, then reconnect the batts.  If the same problem, then dough hit a home run.  If not, then replace the relay.

Forsure the starter solenoid is stuck in the engage position, however it could be one of two things.  Either like dough said, bad solenoid, or it could also be a bad relay.  Both of which are not terribly expensive and easy to replace.  This is only if you are sure it "wont shut off".  When you DC the batts does the teeth of the starter stay engaged with the flywheel?  You should be able to isolate the starter solenoid by disconnecting the smaller wire coming from the relay, then reconnect the batts.  If the same problem, then dough hit a home run.  If not, then replace the relay.

I was just wondering if you were talking about the clicky fix relay?   I thought if you did not put one of those in yourself then there was not a relay in the circut and the power was coming directly from the key switch.  thanks  c

Quote from: Medford on October 04, 2010, 09:24:42 PM

Forsure the starter solenoid is stuck in the engage position, however it could be one of two things.  Either like dough said, bad solenoid, or it could also be a bad relay.  Both of which are not terribly expensive and easy to replace.  This is only if you are sure it "wont shut off".  When you DC the batts does the teeth of the starter stay engaged with the flywheel?  You should be able to isolate the starter solenoid by disconnecting the smaller wire coming from the relay, then reconnect the batts.  If the same problem, then dough hit a home run.  If not, then replace the relay.

I was just wondering if you were talking about the clicky fix relay?   I thought if you did not put one of those in yourself then there was not a relay in the circut and the power was coming directly from the key switch.  thanks  c

The Starter solenoid is a relay.  The "clicky-fix" relay can be added to further reduces the current requirements of the ignition key part of the starter circuit.  If sammyzero's truck is equipped with a "clicky fix", the clicky relay may be stuck.  The test for this condition would be to unplug the starter wire from the starter solenoid and replace it with the wire on the "clicky" relay that was originally connected to the starter solenoid.  If the starter stops, then the clicky relay is at fault.  If not, then you have a bad iginition key switch or a wiring bridge in the circuit (unlikely)  that is feeding power from the battery.

Sammyzero's problem is the result of the main starter solenoid somehow being stuck in the "on" position has caused the starter motor to run continuously.  A byproduct of this is that the Bendix unit (the gizmo that engages the starter to the flywheel) has been damaged by this event allowing the starter motor to free-wheel instead of engaging the flywheel.  Either that, or the flywheel has lost a tooth where the starter is currently stopped...

I believe that a starter will need replacing - AFTER checking to see if something in the starter wiring (like a bad clicky starter relay - if installed) is energizing the starter solenoid all the time.

I hope that this helps...

Ack has spoken. C3006, if Ack says it it is as if coming from the mouth of God himself.  He has logged more hours working on these rigs than I have driving them.  He also has a way cool web site "Ack's FAQ" that needs to be bookmarked in your search bar.  This is what I was talking about concerning this web site, there are guys like him that make you feel like a professional zuki mechanic is looking over your shoulder to make sure you don't mess anything up.  His advise to me has always been on target.  The bendix is what I was getting at when I asked if the power was DC'd if the flywheel was still engaged.  Happy wrenching.