[samppowers]

On my 86 E350 Van. Last night, after starting, heard a whirring coming from the passenger side. This morning, no start. So I crawled under after work, pulled it off set it up on the work bench, and theres a puckered dime-size hole on the housing. Pulled it off and found bits and pieces floating around.

HERE'S My Question: While pulling off the starter, I noticed that the ground wire, or what appears to be the gw, from the passenger size batt had been cut and taped. Why would somebody do this? Could it cause my problem? This conversion van's previous owner's did a lot of electrical add-ons.

Thanks

 

[94_turbo]

dont know about that wire--but--sounds like the solenoid stuck on--kept starter drive engaged--toooooo many rpms--and exploded starter-had this happen on car once--wasnt funny---get a diff one--insides will be destroyed---or can use as core??????

 

[Joe Mc]

Are you sure that the cable is cut, I have seen people tape a spare key to the battery cable.

 

[cashcrazy]

pictures??

 

[Mr_Roboto]

I agree, the starter stayed engaged and just shrapneled from excessive RPM. The "whirring" noise you heard was the starting turning at 20K RPM before it self destructed.

 

[samppowers]

Here's an update: Went to Advance and bought a replacement mitsu starter and put it in tonight. First start was fine. Shut it down, went inside for a while, came back out and fired it up again and thought I heard a familiar "whirring". Drove a few blocks, shut down, and the new starter is still spinning. Disconnected the batts and looked it over, restarted, no whirring, drove home and sat down at the computer.
So it seems like maybe I have a wiring problem? Also, I didn't reattach the snubbed of ground wire, now I'm thinking that might be a first step. Thanks for the advice here.


I took some photo's of the exploded starter:


First Picture

Second Picture


In one of those I think you can see that one of the four magnets? is disintegrated.......

 

[tim94f250]

I'm thinking that the starter relay is no good, as 94_turbo mentioned. That would explain the starter staying engaged. Tim

 

[perryg114]

You most likely have a bad starter solinoid like the others have said. Why did you drive it again if it was making the same whirring noise. You are lucky you did not kill the new starter. I don't know where the solinoid is on these trucks but I am sure someone here knows. You can usually find it by the clicking noise it makes. Unhook the starter wire so you can hear it and the truck does not start. The clicking noise is the relay(solinoid) operating. Maybe someone else had the problem and cut the wire in an emergency to get home and keep the truck running. Later they taped it back together.

Perry

 

[samppowers]

Not only was I driving it then, I'm driving it now. Feeling that I can shut down and restart, in case of a repeat. The starter solenoid however, is new, and is attached to the starter. My work buddy just pointed out the starter relay location, attached to driver side firewall, to me, and I'm headed over to Advance to replace. Once again thanks for the advice on this.

 

[DeepRoots]

i had this problem once with my f150 300/6
I replaced a handful of things trying to stop the starter from engaging when the truck was running... no go.
finally talked to a ford tech and he told me if the battery was really weak, sometimes this would happen.

I was doubtful. but desperate, so I got a new battery and never had the problem again.

thats what I get for trying to get 8 years out of a battery.

dp

 

[jackq]

If the battery is weak the solenoid will stick. Happened to me not long ago. New battery time.

 

[94_turbo]

you have two solenoids--one on the starter--and one on the right fender--the one on the fender is sticking--and if its been replaced--doesnt mean its good--put a test light on the hot cable to the starter--key off--cable should be dead--on the downside of the solenoid