Hi all, I went to start my car this arvo and it almost started but then I could hear the starter just running without engaging , I turned the key back to the "off" position but the starter motor kept running, I had to take the negative terminal off the battery to stop the starter motor from running. Anyone have any ideas what maybe causing this? cheers

Give the solenoid (that's the cylinder above the starter) a sharp smack with a hammer. That should free it up enough to start it.

When you have a bit of time take it off the motor, remember to disconnect you battery first.

Take the solenoid apart and give it a good clean/degrease. A few spots of grease on the pivot points and you should be right again.

If it is a recurring problem, maybe a rebuild by an auto elec or a new one might be in order.

First guess would be a dodgy solenoid, which both throws the drive pinion into the flywheel teeth and closes the electrical connection to the starter motor. Sounds like it's stuck. Maybe try the old fashioned solution of giving it a bit of a tap with a mallet, probably not a permanent fix though.

EDIT: Beat me to it Mudfish!

First guess would be a dodgy solenoid, which both throws the drive pinion into the flywheel teeth and closes the electrical connection to the starter motor. Sounds like it's stuck. Maybe try the old fashioned solution of giving it a bit of a tap with a mallet, probably not a permanent fix though.

EDIT: Beat me to it Mudfish!

Sorry mate. Great minds think alike!

Sorry mate. Great minds think alike!

Thanks so much for your reply guys, very much appreciated, I thought why is there power still going to the starter when I have taken the key out

The solenoid piston is probably sticking, possibly because of rust. Remove the starter, take the solenoid apart, and clean and grease the piston. It can stick ON or OFF. It will only get worse if you don't fix it.

One known cause of rust is coolant leaking from the welsh plug between the engine and transmission. It runs down onto the starter gear then gets flicked back into the solenoid. Check for coolant droplets coming from the bottom of the transmission housing.

When such leakage begins, the solenoid piston starts rusting pretty quicky because its just bare metal with no protective grease coating.

Another thing that stuffs up starter motors is an oil leak.
If it gets into the solenoid it carbons up from the heat and jams the lump of metal the solenoid thumps across to make the circuit. If that sticks the motor keeps running - it is part of a circuit not fused and independent of the ignition switch, ie battery directly to motor to earth, once it jams in the on position it will just keep running even when you take the key out.

Another thing that stuffs up starter motors is an oil leak.
If it gets into the solenoid it carbons up from the heat and jams the lump of metal the solenoid thumps across to make the circuit. If that sticks the motor keeps running - it is part of a circuit not fused and independent of the ignition switch, ie battery directly to motor to earth, once it jams in the on position it will just keep running even when you take the key out.

Thanks for the info Max, I fitted a second hand starter a week ago and thats the one playing up now, so I bit the bullet and ordered a new one of ebay last night.