Replaced starter and truck wont shut off.

[AZNUKLHD]

Hello,

I took the truck out yesterday and drove it for an hour or so. My intent was to get it nice and warm prior to emission testing. While at emissions the truck no longer would idle. For some reason it would start and after idling for a few minutes it would die as if it was starving for fuel. Carb was rebuilt and I verified the floats today. However after multiple restars and adjustments I started to get a grinding noise then it wouldn't turn over at all.

So today I went and bought a replacement starter. This one looks exactly like the one I took out. I hooked it up the way the previous one was. There was one main post for the cable from the battery. THere were also two small posts. I landed one wire to one post and another wire to the other post just like it came off. Truck started up fine and I messed with the carb a bit more. It maintained idle and after a few minutes I went to turn the truck off and it did not shut off. I have a manual trans so I dumped the clutch in 3rd gear and shut it off.
THe starter is difficult to get to/remove so I was hoping one of you experts could provide some insight on where to start. I have searched and searched this forum as well as google. That yielding about 10~12 different answers and I'm more confused now than when I started. I don't think its the ignition switch as it worked fine until I replaced the starter. Is there a chance the posts are different on this starter compared to the one I pulled out?

So I apolgize in advance for my ignorance. I'm frustrated as my truck is on the side of the road since yesterday and I can't get it home.

Its a 71 C10, 5.7, manual and HEI. The truck has sat the last 7 years and I have been in the process of making it road worthy. There were some wiring issues btw as the truck sat in the AZ desert some critters apparently got hungry and chewed up some stuff.

Thanks for any input.

[Mr Chevorlet]

If you still have the point set up distributer and coil, but it really dosent matter what distributer your using, it sounds like your power going to the coil is not being cut off when you turn your switch off. With your switch off and truck not running see if you still have power to the coil. If so track that wire back to the switch. It sounds like the key switch not cutting the power off. Maybe some others will chime in if I missed something.

[70STOVEBOLT]

If you have AGI you should only have one wire going to the starter a 12 gauge purple wire, Connected to the S terminal of the solenoid. If the other wire going to the solenoid is a yellow one you can just cut it off and do away with it it's probably still providing voltage while the key is off. The yellow wire was originally used to provide 12 V to the points while cranking for easier starting.

[VetteVet]

Originally Posted by AZNUKLHD

Hello,

I took the truck out yesterday and drove it for an hour or so. My intent was to get it nice and warm prior to emission testing. While at emissions the truck no longer would idle. For some reason it would start and after idling for a few minutes it would die as if it was starving for fuel. Carb was rebuilt and I verified the floats today. However after multiple restars and adjustments I started to get a grinding noise then it wouldn't turn over at all.

So today I went and bought a replacement starter. This one looks exactly like the one I took out. I hooked it up the way the previous one was. There was one main post for the cable from the battery. THere were also two small posts. I landed one wire to one post and another wire to the other post just like it came off. Truck started up fine and I messed with the carb a bit more. It maintained idle and after a few minutes I went to turn the truck off and it did not shut off. I have a manual trans so I dumped the clutch in 3rd gear and shut it off.
THe starter is difficult to get to/remove so I was hoping one of you experts could provide some insight on where to start. I have searched and searched this forum as well as google. That yielding about 10~12 different answers and I'm more confused now than when I started. I don't think its the ignition switch as it worked fine until I replaced the starter. Is there a chance the posts are different on this starter compared to the one I pulled out?

So I apolgize in advance for my ignorance. I'm frustrated as my truck is on the side of the road since yesterday and I can't get it home.

Its a 71 C10, 5.7, manual and HEI. The truck has sat the last 7 years and I have been in the process of making it road worthy. There were some wiring issues btw as the truck sat in the AZ desert some critters apparently got hungry and chewed up some stuff.

Thanks for any input.

Why couldn't you drive your truck home? Wouldn't it start back up?

It's very hard to diagnose a problem on a truck that has been re-wired without knowing how it's wired. When you get it running again, turn the key off and see if the engine stops. If it keeps running try pulling the small wire connector out of the alternator. It's possible you are getting feedback to the ignition switch through the white wire in the connector. It's an easy fix if that's the case. Just so I'm clear on this you are saying that the engine won't shut off, not that the starter keeps turning and keeps the engine turning.

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

If you have AGI you should only have one wire going to the starter a 12 gauge purple wire, Connected to the S terminal of the solenoid. If the other wire going to the solenoid is a yellow one you can just cut it off and do away with it it's probably still providing voltage while the key is off. The yellow wire was originally used to provide 12 V to the points while cranking for easier starting.

I was trying to figure out what you meant and I think you meant HEI ignition. He said he has that.

[70STOVEBOLT]

I was trying to figure out what you meant and I think you meant HEI ignition. He said he has that.[/QUOTE]

Yes, I meant HEI. I was posting with my iphone using the voice feature, lol.

[airdale94]

The starter is at fault. I've seen this happen several times with new starters. Something doesn't get put together right at the rebuilder.

[AZNUKLHD]

I could have drove it home last night, but my Superduty had my tools, jack, stands etc. I'm going to have someone drop me off today. I have moved the truck into a church parking lot.

Yes the truck will not shut off. I dont believe the starter is still going after it is fired up.

So it appears three options.
1-Remove wire from back of the alternator as it may be providing voltage to the ignition
2-Remove the wire from starter (I cant tell what color as its old and oil coated) I am concerned about this one as I wired it the same way it came out. If this was the case wouldnt it have done this previously? Could it be the polarity of the poles changed? A is now B and vice versa?
3-Remove starter and have it tested or replaced..

[Longhorn 70]

Could the ignition switch have flaked out? Just because you just changed the starter and now it doesn't shut off doesn't mean it has to be the starter...

You could try this. Hook up the battery. Don't start the truck. Put a test light on the BATT term of the H.E.I. see if there is voltage there. Just in case. It could be that terminal is hot when it shouldn't be.

[VetteVet]

..........

Originally Posted by AZNUKLHD

I could have drove it home last night, but my Superduty had my tools, jack, stands etc. I'm going to have someone drop me off today. I have moved the truck into a church parking lot.

Yes the truck will not shut off. I dont believe the starter is still going after it is fired up.

So it appears three options.
1-Remove wire from back of the alternator as it may be providing voltage to the ignition. I don't think this is your problem but it will cause it.
2-Remove the wire from starter (I cant tell what color as its old and oil coated) I am concerned about this one as I wired it the same way it came out. If this was the case wouldnt it have done this previously? Could it be the polarity of the poles changed? A is now B and vice versa?

The starter solenoid wire is a 12 gauge purple wire and the other wire is a 20 gauge small wire that was discussed above by 70 STovebolt. You don't need this wire so remove it and tape it off. You will need to find out where the HEI distributor ignition wire that goes to the BAT terminal on the distributor originates. It must be a keyed on 12 volt non resistor wire. If the wire that hooks to the starter ( the small one ) was feeding that somehow inside the starter, it would have enough voltage to keep the distributor hot with the key off and the engine would keep running. That wire is made hot when the solenoid kicks in and it sends a full 12 volts to the original coil for hotter ignition spark during spark. See the diagrams below.




Starter wiring.



starter working.




3-Remove starter and have it tested or replaced..

[airdale94]

Originally Posted by AZNUKLHD

Yes the truck will not shut off. I dont believe the starter is still going after it is fired up.

My bad, I thought you meant the starter was still cranking.

[Longhorn 70]

Unless the solenoid is stuck, the yellow wire will not be hot unless shorted to B+. If the solenoid were stuck you'd still be cranking.

[AZNUKLHD]

All- Thanks for all the input. I removed the small yellow wire from the starter (small post) and the truck shuts off with the key. I got to it last week and drove it today with no issues observed.

I still don't understand why I wired this up exactly to what it came out as and this started.. Oh well. It's fixed. Now get to address failed emissions for rich CO during accelration.

R/
MZ