Starter won't STOP!!!

I searched and everyone seems to have the opposite problem. When I crank the motor, it starts right up and I can hear the starter continuing to run. I can even take the key out of the ignition and it will continue to turn the motor over, but with out the ICM on, it just cranks and doesn't fire. It's a bit of a weird feeling. It eventually stops 30-60 seconds later which could tear up my starter. I have looked under the hood and found the line from the starter solenoid to the ICM was corroded and probably shorting on the block, but I patched that with some tape while on the trail, but it's to the point where I have the line disconnected and I have to pop the hood to temporarily connect it to start the motor and then disconect it to stop the starter.

I plan to take it all apart tomorrow. I was just wondering if this has ever happened to someone else and what they did. I'm also wondering about the starter relay, but I can't seem to find in my manual (Haynes) where that is.

Is there any possibility that chewed up starter drive teeth (or even mud) are holding the starter drive gear in mesh with the ring gear? I would take the starter out and bench test it for proper operation and check the drive gear and ring gear on the motor while you are at it. If that doesnt prove to be the problem maybe the solenoid has rust or dirt so the spring wont disengage the drive anymore.

If I misunderstood and the vehicle is in fact trying to start no matter where the key is when that small wire to the starter is connected then I would start with the ignition switch near the bottom of the column. They do fail, I just replaced mine on my 89, the contacts were binding up and starting to short out. hope this helps

Could possibly be the solinoid hangin up...try tapping the starter with a "small"
hammer if you can do it..might need some one to kinda help you with doin this.
Better yet,pull the starter,take it to a local parts store and have them check it out.

The starter and the solonoid are not the problem, they are new. If it were an engagement problem, then it wouldn't continue to run with the ignition off, nor would it turn off with the motor running when I unplug it. I'm sure it's an electrical problem. Thanks for the tip under teh column. I'll look there after I replce this corroded wire.

What year XJ? If it's a 90 or earlier, I'd be tempted to say the start relay's getting stuck on you, I've had this happen. Since you say pulling the (small, right?) wire stops the thing, that's where I'd go next.

I don't recall if the later XJ's have a similar setup with the start relay, so I'd have to check - but it sounds logical.

5-90

That was my next thought. Can you give me a hint about where to find that? Is it under the dash somewhere? I have an 87.

Today, I did a bunch of tune up stuff. Spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, pos and neg batery cables, coil and I replaced the small green wire that goes to the starter because it had been severely corroded. I also had a spare starter lying around and put that in and the problem remains.

So to reiterate my first Q, where is the relay?

The starter relay is a metal cased relay with a large lug with 8g red wire to the battery. The spade connectors are 14g Green, 20g Orange, 18g black and 14g dark green. I believe that the Dk grn, org & blk are in one plastic connector and the 14g green is by itself. Look on the rh shock tower, that's where it looks to be located in the poor drawing in my 89 manual.

Tom

Gosh, there are some many wires there, I didn't even noticed there was a relay underneith there! Sometimes the stuff right there in front of you are the hardest to find. Thanks all for you help. I'll post up if this solves it!

This is one copy somebody posted here

Thanks for that diagram. I'll be sure keep that for reference. I had a hard time finding a relay at my local Kragen and Napa. I didn't want to go to the dealership, so I found one on carparts.com/JcWhitney. $25 shipped to my door.

That solved my prolem so the relay had failed in the on position. Thanks for the tips guys!

TrailHunter said:

Thanks for that diagram. I'll be sure keep that for reference. I had a hard time finding a relay at my local Kragen and Napa. I didn't want to go to the dealership, so I found one on carparts.com/JcWhitney. $25 shipped to my door.

That solved my prolem so the relay had failed in the on position. Thanks for the tips guys!

Click to expand...

I got one at autozone for $10.