Nina - something simulated the ignition switch being turned to 'Start'.
Could have been a defective ignition switch shorting out, the white/red from
switch to starter relay shorting out to 12v, the relay contacts shorting
out, the white/brown from relay to solenoid shorting out to 12v, or the
solenoid contacts shorting out.
Try momentarily reconnecting the battery with the ignition switch in the
'Run' position and see if you can hear any clicks. Of course, if the
starter whirs into life you will not hear the clicks, but either way you
will know the fault is still present and hence you have a chance of tracking
it down and fixing it before you repair wiring and starter.
If you hear nothing at all either the solenoid shorted out and the starter
is now wrecked, or the original fault has gone away, which is the worst
possible of all cirmstances. Why? Because you stand a chance of repairing
it and having it all happen again in the future.
If the starter *did* run or you heard a 'click' when you connected the
battery you need to connect a meter or test-lamp to the wires I mention
above to begin to track down where the energisation is coming from, briefly
reconnect the battery with the meter/test-lamp on each wire and note the
results.
If, say there was 12v on the white/brown but not the white/red then either
the relay is faulty or the white/brown is shorting to 12v. In order to find
out which you have to remove the white/brown from the relay and test which
has the 12v when they are apart, and this is where you have to hope your
deity is smiling on you. For the act of removing the wire could disturb the
fault, which goes away before you determined where the fault was. Similarly
with the white/red and the ignition switch.
Good luck,
PaulH.
----- Original Message -----
From: Nina Barton <ninab@scoresheet.com>
To: <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2000 1:42 AM
Subject: failed starter motor 71 BGT - what to check
> Driving around today, just running errands and suchlike, when all of a
> sudden I hear a horrible noise from the engine compartment. Slow down,
> getting ready to pull over, changing gears seems to make it worse.
Gunning
> the engine is bad too. Get to a parking space, try and turn off the
car,
> it won't turn off. Well, let me amend that, engine turns off, but starter
> motor just keeps going. I think I've got the problem pegged now, so I get
> it to a final resting place before it totally drains the battery. It
> appears that the wiring harness is OK, however I believe the starter motor
> to be toast and the connections appear to have melted insulation on them.
> I guess I'm lucky not to have a car fire here. I have disconnected the
> battery. What happened to cause this, and what should I check (besides
the
> starter motor) to make sure I don't have some kind of electrical problem.
> Some extra info, new battery and rebuilt alternator installed end of 1999.
> This car sat for a few months earlier this year, while I figured out rugs
> and upholstery. Maybe that's when some of the smoke escaped? Thanks in
> advance. Nina
>
>
|