Starter free running when battery connected to hot lead...

[White Shark]

I have a Ford 1310 that has a minor issue.

The left lever shift lever was stuck in 4th gear in the 12 speed non-synchro transmission. Normally, the engine won't engage while it's out of neutral.

I turned the key to see if the battery had a charge since it's been sitting for awhile, and I turned it to the start position.

This is the problem.....the starter fired up, but without engaging. I quickly turned the key off, and it kept spooling! I hauled but to secure a crescent wrench and popped the lead off the hot side. Even with the key out, the started spools up if I touch the hot lead to the battery.

Since then, I fixed a hydraulic leak on the auxiliary hydraulic manifold on the lower right (just in front of the brake pedals), and pulled the shift cover off the transmission to realign the shift detent springs, thereby getting the left lever out of 4th gear.

Otherwise, everything is good and is ready to go now, but this starter issue is making me think....

Has anyone run into this situation before and if so, what's the recommendation? I'm trying to figure out why that sucker would spool up when hot after turning the key and stay spooling when switched off, although it sat hot for months without being an issue. What switch assembly could crap out that would allow this to occur?

1985 Ford 1310 2wd / Non Synchro Gear Box...

Thanks...

 

[Inspector507]

A shorted ignition switch or a stuck relay in the solenoid, if has one.

 

[aczlan]

I would bet on the solenoid on the starter having a little rust in it, not so much as to keep it from being pulled to on, but enough that the spring wasnt strong enough to push it back to off afterwards.

try banging on the solenoid a little and see if it still turns on when you reconnect the battery.

Aaron Z

 

[White Shark]

Thanks guys. I'm familiar with the bigger hammer method. I haven't rolled out with it yet, but I'll check out the usual suspects as recommended.

Direct Current theory is screwed up. Everyone knows that a proper hot is black or red, white is neutral, and green is ground. I hate DC wiring.... lol. That's why I avoid anything electric outside of a house if possible. Wrenching? No problem. Installing car alarms and stereos? No thanks!

 

[White Shark]

Okay, I went outside and gave it 4 whacks with a 21 ounce Dalluge framing hammer. Reconnect battery and back in business.

That was easy. I've done that a hundred times on other tractors, but never on this one. I was sure that it had to be something complex in the ignition wiring or switches. Why do I always see things in a worst case scenario?

Somtimes you just need to go with the simple steps first.

Four whacks and I'm ready to roll.

Thanks.

 

[EddieWalker]

My Ford 555E backhoe had a similar problem. I would start it and the starter would keep on spinning. I had to turn off the battery at the disconect on the engine block to stop it. It wasn't every time, but maybe once every few months. I took it off and had a shop rebuild it, which they said they did, but it didn't stop. I took it to another shop and they said it was a piece of junk, from one of the former eastern block countries that Ford and Perkins had used in allot of their engines that was not worth rebuilding. He sold me a brand new Bosch starter for a quarter of what my dealer had them for. I think it was $80, but don't remember for sure. It was very reasonable in my opinion, and I've never had a problem with the new starter.

Eddie

 

[woodlandfarms]

For future reference. Remove the GROUND wire on a battery, not the hot. Lots of reasons for this but basically it is a safer manuever.

Oh and is that Brock Sampson as your pic?