Starter engaging randomly

tattoo · Jul 28, 2014

The starter on my truck is only a few weeks old, sometimes when i go to start the truck all I hear is an awful grinding noise like the starter gear isn't engaging the flywheel completely. Now today I was taking off from a stop and heard the same awful noise but it stopped when I let off the throttle. Sitting on the side of the road trying to figure out what was going on I hit the throttle and the starter fired up and wouldn't stop. Even with the key removed the starter just kept going sounding like a grinder on the flywheel. I managed to make it home and parked the truck, too pissed to look at it. Has anyone else heard of a problem like this, and other than making sure there isn't anything causing a connection between the two wires on the starter what else should I be looking for? I seriously hope the flywheel isn't jacked up too bad, I can't afford repairs right now.

Arisley · Jul 28, 2014

Time for a starter.

thumbo88 · Jul 28, 2014

and an exorcism

tattoo · Jul 29, 2014

riest:What would cause this starter to screw up so quickly? It's about 3 weeks old.....And I have the Holy water ready for when I crawl under the beast again.

TyCorr · Jul 29, 2014

Is your windshield leaking? Or cab lights? One of the most common circuits to get shorted out in the fuse panel/gem when wet. Running or not, it'll throw voltage at the starter and spin it til it blows. Pull the 20a fuse in the middle row of the fuse panel block, at the bottom. Start it, remove the fuse. Then figure out what is causing it.

If it does it when the truck is off, key out of the ignition, you have a wet/junk fuse panel and gem.

If the truck is running, as you said it is, you are on the cusp of having circuits catch fire on the road. Been there, done that!

HVFC6040 · Jul 30, 2014

Get underneath the truck and make sure the bell housing for the trans isnt cracked. If it is, and the starter can move and ground itself to metal, it will spin.

I learned this the hard way.

tattoo · Jul 30, 2014

Thanks for the tips fellas. I'm about to take a ride in the truck to see if it will happen again and pay attention to what might cause it. I pulled the cover off of the fuse panel and I can't see any signs of moisture or water having been there. I really hope it's nothing major.

SDS97_7.3 · Jul 30, 2014

I'd also check to make sure the ends of the cables are facing away from each other so to speak, I had a cable twist and it was arcing causing the starter to kick on, on it's own or not shut off