Stranded - Starter stuck on

Drove somewhere. Stopped for about 10 minutes, then went to drive off. Car cranked but the starter motor was stuck on.

It is now on if I connect the battery, even with the key out.

it's a 300tdi 1985. Nothing fancy between the battery and the motor.

Just wondering what what I can do to get home. Discounted the start motor once I start the car? Whats the best way?

Sounds like start motor armature stuck in/on, or solenoid gone wobbly. Do you have a hammer with you?If so, repeated firm taps should release. Don't smack starter casing too hard with hammer, ideally have a piece of wood in between.

If the above does not work try pulling off the little ignition wire[ red white on mine ] from the starter solenoid. Could be a fault in the ignition unit behind the key.

it has to be a problem with the electronics. as there should not be feed to the starter motor without the key turned to crank. So it's either the starter replay stuck on, or the ignition barrel gone weird OR something very weird feeding 12v to the starter. I will try to find out what it is, hopefully it's something simple I can disconect, then I can start the car, disconnect the live wire to the starter and will be able to drive it home.

Just wondering if it's easier to do it from the dash, or the starter motor.

Had this problem with a Merc this week, solenoid would push forward but starter motor had seized up, hitting it will either get it to start or shatter the magnets, or neither, when you try to start it can you hear the solenoid click?

the start motor is spinning, all the time. It's always turning. from the moment I connect the battery no key needed.

If you can and its the motor seized, engage starter the get someone to rock the vehicle forward , basically you are trying to unseize the starter using the fly wheel.

NiallRussell said:

the start motor is spinning, all the time. It's always turning. from the moment I connect the battery no key needed.

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. Then the motor isn't throwing the bendix out, it needs to come out and either be replaced or cleaned, check the wiring to the was starter but my guess is it needs to come out, is it chattering against the fly wheel?

NiallRussell said:

the start motor is spinning, all the time. It's always turning. from the moment I connect the battery no key needed.

Click to expand...

Oh, crap, sorry mate , didn't read that correctly, your solenoid is goosed.

As above, it sounds like the solenoid is ****ed, disconnect the (white and red I think) wire from the starter solenoid, its a spade connector and see if the starter still engages by itself. If it doesn't its your solenoid feed, leave it off and just bridge the two terminals on the solenoid to start it and it will get you home.

Ironstrike said:

As above, it sounds like the solenoid is ****ed, disconnect the (white and red I think) wire from the starter solenoid, its a spade connector and see if the starter still engages by itself. If it doesn't its your solenoid feed, leave it off and just bridge the two terminals on the solenoid to start it and it will get you home.

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If that works, when you get home check the wiring at the back of the ignition, the wiring cracks an the solenoid feed wire might be getting a constant live feed, insulate everything properly, reattach the feed wire to the solenoid and try again

thanks guys will try. Got a lift home so I will try tomorrow.

if it is the buggered solenoid, i guess its harder to get it home?

Unbolting the cable between battery and starter motor does sound fun once the engine is running.

Maybe unbolt, wrap it up and then.... jumper cable to it?

NiallRussell said:

if it is the buggered solenoid, i guess its harder to get it home?

Unbolting the cable between battery and starter motor does sound fun once the engine is running.

Maybe unbolt, wrap it up and then.... jumper cable to it?

Click to expand...

Disconnect the trigger wire from the solenoid with the battery disconnected, it is just a spade connector. Then reconnect the battery, if the starter motor does not engage then the trigger wire is at fault. You can either jump/bridge the two terminals to get the car started and get it home
or
you can take the dash off and check what is causing the trigger wire to stay live and repair on site. Either way, if it is just the trigger wire it is not a big deal.

But that is the first thing I would check

So... the trigger wire was not the problem. Which is a pain.

The motor is spinning with the lead from the battery only. So...

I took off the lead (and the other wires that attach to the solenoid, which makes the link between the alternator and the battery), found a small bolt to fix them altogether then taped the bolt and connectors up so that nothing could short.

Then I tried to get a jump lead onto the solenoid and the battery to crank the motor, but couldn't get a good connection, having to be very careful with the lead not to short to the engine block. I needed to find someway to provide a lot of amps to the solenoid, and then unattach the lead quickly.

just when I was thinking I couldn't do anything by the road side, in the dark, I realised I had fitted a winch fuse in the engine area. The winch had a cut off switch in the foot well. So with the winch cable on the solenoid I was able to turn on the 'winch', turn the key, start the car and then turn off the 'winch'. Worked like a charm.

new solenoid on the way.

Smart thinking there.

well thought out m8 well done

Solving those kind of problems in the dark, upside down needing three hands is why we love landys

Nice work around and a great reason to have a winch!!