Diesel starter burnout

shelby72 · 10-27-2007, 04:59 PM

I have a 1984 6.9 diesel F 250. It is 2 w/d with a standard transmission. Last year my truck engine began turning over while I had the keys in my pocket. It did so until the batteries died because I had no wrenches with me. I had to replace the starter because it kept running until it burnt out. I replaced the starter and ignition solenoid on the fender and have had no trouble for a year. Recently over the last few weeks starting has slowed slightly. Today, I heard a strange sound so I shut down the truck to check under the hood. When I popped the hood the starter began cranking until smoke started comming up from the starter. I have replaced the solenoid on the fender last year along with the starter. What am I missing ? There must be some other electrical problem causing the starter to burnout.

Any advice will be appreciated..

75K30 · 10-27-2007, 07:50 PM

Welcome to the site shelby72;
Sounds like one heak of a situation here. WHile I feel your pain, I can't help but think that the problem is not in the solenoid. Sounds like the solenoid is doing its job just fine, but it is also being told to energize at the wrong time. The ignition switch sounds like it is the problem. Sounds to me like there is a broken wire, or even just a fray that is hanging out of the connector and touching 12 volts and energizing the solenoid, and this is your run away starter problem.
I am thinking of the year of your truck, and you should not need a wrench to remove the signal voltage from the solenoid. I believe it just slides onto the small screw type post on the front of the solenoid. Just in case this happens again, you can disconnect it and the solenoid should open again, and the starter will stop.
while this could still be a solenoid problem, you can easily verify this by simply removing the lead to the starter and listening to the solenoid when you apply 12 volts to the terminal. You can also check with a multi meter for contact closure while you energize the coil, and for the change of state (should open) after you de-energize the solenoid. Should take all of 2 minutes to verify.
Good luck.

shelby72 · 10-28-2007, 12:08 AM

Thanks for the ideas. Yes I think I have pulled out a few handfulls of hair over this one. I did test the solenoid last time and you could hear it energize and de-energize. I didn't think of the ignition but I will start troubleshooting that one tomorrow. Thanks for the help.

10-27-2007, 04:59 PM	#1
shelby72 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 5	Diesel starter burnout I have a 1984 6.9 diesel F 250. It is 2 w/d with a standard transmission. Last year my truck engine began turning over while I had the keys in my pocket. It did so until the batteries died because I had no wrenches with me. I had to replace the starter because it kept running until it burnt out. I replaced the starter and ignition solenoid on the fender and have had no trouble for a year. Recently over the last few weeks starting has slowed slightly. Today, I heard a strange sound so I shut down the truck to check under the hood. When I popped the hood the starter began cranking until smoke started comming up from the starter. I have replaced the solenoid on the fender last year along with the starter. What am I missing ? There must be some other electrical problem causing the starter to burnout. Any advice will be appreciated..

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10-27-2007, 07:50 PM	#2
75K30 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,299	Welcome to the site shelby72; Sounds like one heak of a situation here. WHile I feel your pain, I can't help but think that the problem is not in the solenoid. Sounds like the solenoid is doing its job just fine, but it is also being told to energize at the wrong time. The ignition switch sounds like it is the problem. Sounds to me like there is a broken wire, or even just a fray that is hanging out of the connector and touching 12 volts and energizing the solenoid, and this is your run away starter problem. I am thinking of the year of your truck, and you should not need a wrench to remove the signal voltage from the solenoid. I believe it just slides onto the small screw type post on the front of the solenoid. Just in case this happens again, you can disconnect it and the solenoid should open again, and the starter will stop. while this could still be a solenoid problem, you can easily verify this by simply removing the lead to the starter and listening to the solenoid when you apply 12 volts to the terminal. You can also check with a multi meter for contact closure while you energize the coil, and for the change of state (should open) after you de-energize the solenoid. Should take all of 2 minutes to verify. Good luck.

10-28-2007, 12:08 AM	#3
shelby72 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 5	Thanks for the ideas. Yes I think I have pulled out a few handfulls of hair over this one. I did test the solenoid last time and you could hear it energize and de-energize. I didn't think of the ignition but I will start troubleshooting that one tomorrow. Thanks for the help.