Starter stays engaged! Help!

[Dirtydirk89]

Hey there, new to the forum, learnt some things already.

I'm very mechanically inclined and can replace any hard parts but electrical is not my forte.

So my gf was driving the truck when she said it started making a terrible grinding noise and lost power. After 5 second it was normal again. She was just pulling into a friends driveway so turned it off right aways. Said she could smell burning. It sat there overnight and I went to check it out the next evening.

It sounded to me like the starter was still engaged the way she described it. But it was less than 6 months old so I thought it was unlikely to be a starter issue. But I started looking at wiring because of the burning smell (could still smell it in the cab) I checked fuses, relays, and wiring for burning, battery has good voltage. Couldn't find anything.

I then tried to start it, got nothing. Crawled under the truck and the starter was warm to the touch. The wire from solenoid to starter motor was completely burnt off!

I got a new one and it fired right up, ran good for a few seconds and then the starter engaged again. Shut it off, started again and it made it home completely fine as far as I could tell.

Go to start it the next day and it starts with the key in the run position, (good thing my foot was on the clutch.)  The starter keeps on cranking after it is running. I shut it off.

The truck has an immobilizer but still cranks without the fob in the run position.

I have no idea where to start looking in the electrical system for the issue.

Please help!

 

I did replace the key tumbler about 4 months ago but had no other issues with the ignition. Could it be the ignition itself? How can I test it?

 

[Dirtydirk89]

Not sure if my signature is working but truck is a 2000 Silverado 1500 4x4, 4.3 5spd

 

[carnau]

It absolutely could be an ignition switch problem. I will see if I can help you with it.  What you want to do is go to the starter motor relay in the engine junction block. Go to terminal 85 and check and see if you have power when the key is in any position other than start. Let me know what you find and we will go to the next step.

 

Junction Block - 

At the left side of the engine compartment near the battery

[sefiroxx]

It absolutely could be an ignition switch problem. I will see if I can help you with it.  What you want to do is go to the starter motor relay in the engine junction block. Go to terminal 85 and check and see if you have power when the key is in any position other than start. Let me know what you find and we will go to the next step.

 
Junction Block - 

At the left side of the engine compartment near the battery

Could be a shorted wire to the solenoid. Pull the fuse for the starter and see if it still engages.

Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk

[Dirtydirk89]

On 28/11/2017 at 6:13 PM, carnau said:

It absolutely could be an ignition switch problem. I will see if I can help you with it.  What you want to do is go to the starter motor relay in the engine junction block. Go to terminal 85 and check and see if you have power when the key is in any position other than start. Let me know what you find and we will go to the next step.

 

Junction Block - 

At the left side of the engine compartment near the battery

No power at 85 when the ignition is in run position. Only power is on 30

[carnau]

13 minutes ago, Dirtydirk89 said:

No power at 85 when the ignition is in run position. Only power is on 30

Ok see if it has power when you put it in the crank position on 85. If so that means it isn't your ignition or the wiring to the relay itself. It is from the relay thru the fuse block and wiring or the starter.

[Dirtydirk89]

1 hour ago, sefiroxx said:

Could be a shorted wire to the solenoid. Pull the fuse for the starter and see if it still engages.

Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk
 

I did think about that, and correct me if I'm wrong, but it would have to be getting power from somewhere, usually shorted wires would be grounding themselves.

Is there a fuse for the starter somewhere? I can only find the relay and 3 ign fuses under the hood as well as 2 ign fuses in the cab

[carnau]

An internally shorted fuse block or starter could be the problem. After we know that the fuse block is only getting power when the key is in the crank position then we need to disconnect the purple wire at the starter and see if it has power going to it constantly.

[Dirtydirk89]

1 minute ago, carnau said:

Ok see if it has power when you put it in the crank position on 85. If so that means it isn't your ignition or the wiring to the relay itself. It is from the relay thru the fuse block and wiring or the starter.

Shouldn't be the starter as it was replaced, but you never know. I'll pull the starter and see if there is constant power there.

[carnau]

5 minutes ago, Dirtydirk89 said:

Shouldn't be the starter as it was replaced, but you never know. I'll pull the starter and see if there is constant power there.

Don't have to pull the whole starter. Just the small purple wire.

[Dirtydirk89]

16 minutes ago, carnau said:

Don't have to pull the whole starter. Just the small purple wire.

Pulled it off, constant power there. Next step pull the fuse block apart I guess?

[carnau]

If there is constant power there, Remove the relay, swap it with a different one in the fuse block and see if it goes away. Could just be a faulty relay.

[Chris mr bgm]

Do the Purple wire on the starter supposed to have constant power

[carnau]

3 hours ago, Chris mr bgm said:

Do the Purple wire on the starter supposed to have constant power

No, The only time it has power is when the vehicle is cranking. If it has power all the time, that's the problem and you should find the source of what's causing that.

[Chris Williams108]

I did a v8 swap on a 2004 Chevy silverado, and now when you turn key to accessorie starter engages