1968 Engine Won't Stop Running!

Pulled the car into the garage after driving all over Houston running errands, turned the key to the off positon and removed the key, but the engine keeps running. Not running as in dieseling due to incorrect timing, but it keeps running! Put the key back in and flip it back and forth a few times.....nothing. I then pulled the small wire off the starter solenoid to kill the engine, then disconnected the positve battery cable.

Right away I assumed the ignition switch was faulty but the more I thought about recent events I'm not so sure.

I recently replaced the grungy old starter solenoid with a shiny new one but the new one is amazingly loud as it engages. I can hear it from inside the car with the hood closed.

My gauges were also bouncing around a bit so I installed a new instrument gauge regulator which then resulted in the gauges swinging from no reading to pegged a few times, then they all died.

Now the ignition switch freaks out.

It seems strange that the ignition switch fails the day after I change out those other 2 items, so I'm wondering if one of those 3 components is causing problems for the others, or if the switch just happened to die after I replaced solenoid and gauge regulator.

Any thoughts, other than possible poltergeist possession?

Wow! When I had this problem it was my ignition switch.

My problem being the car kept running after removing the key.

Sounds like you have something else going on.

Has your car been cyber-communicating with mine? "We'll geeet theeeem!"

If you pulled the small wires off your solenoid and it killed the engine, your solenoid is either defective or staying engaged. The wire from the ignition (the one closest the battery) is only hot when the ignition is in the start position and provides power to the internal coil which pulls the contacts for the starter motor in. If the engine died when you pulled this wire, the ignition switch is providing power when it shouldn't, and you would want to change the switch. The other small wire provides a full 12V to the coil during the start cycle and gets it's power from the engaged contacts. If the engine died when you pulled this wire, the contacts are staying engaged or there is a short inside the solenoid assembly. You would want to change the solenoid in this case. One other point. I've found when you have a noisy solenoid, it's usually because you have a larger than normal current flow, or a bad solenoid. I would have your starter checked to make sure it isn't ready to die, and if it's good, buy another solenoid just for GP.

Steve

rvrtrash said:

If you pulled the small wires off your solenoid and it killed the engine, your solenoid is either defective or staying engaged. The wire from the ignition (the one closest the battery) is only hot when the ignition is in the start position and provides power to the internal coil which pulls the contacts for the starter motor in. If the engine died when you pulled this wire, the ignition switch is providing power when it shouldn't, and you would want to change the switch. The other small wire provides a full 12V to the coil during the start cycle and gets it's power from the engaged contacts. If the engine died when you pulled this wire, the contacts are staying engaged or there is a short inside the solenoid assembly. You would want to change the solenoid in this case. One other point. I've found when you have a noisy solenoid, it's usually because you have a larger than normal current flow, or a bad solenoid. I would have your starter checked to make sure it isn't ready to die, and if it's good, buy another solenoid just for GP.

Steve

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100% correct as usual!

When I pulled the wire nearest the shock tower the engine died.

This morning when I attached the positive battery cable I could hear the voltage regulator clicking so I knew the solenoid was toast. I installed the solenoid from my other car and everything works as it should. The brand new solenoid is faulty.

That problem is solved, now for the gauges. I found an old instrument regulator and installed it and the gauges work fine, so the brand new regulator I bought is defective.

If it ain't broke don't fix it seems like good advice, especially considering the quality of the parts we now get.

make sure the bolts that are holding the starter solenoid are tight and snug against the metal. kinda loose fitting and they do not contact well and CAN cause the "dangthisthingwontshutoff" syndrome. bang the top of the solenoid with a hammer and it will shut off.

I had that happen once and found my starter soleniod and votage regulator were bad. They were ordered from a "Mustangs Unlimited" type place. Replaced with NAPA parts and it worked great.

Paul

PFSlim said:

I had that happen once and found my starter soleniod and votage regulator were bad. They were ordered from a "Mustangs Unlimited" type place. Replaced with NAPA parts and it worked great.

Paul

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Couldn't agree more.

I don't have a NAPA near me but when I purchased my aqua car shortly after moving to Houston I hadn't yet looked for a good auto parts store, so the first time I needed a part I went to our local autoparts row (Advance, AutoZone, O'Reilly's, etc) and went to each one.

Each time I went into a store and asked for a part for a 289 I'd receive a blank stare from the kid behind the counter, followed by, "How many litres is that?" I'd then walk out and go to the next store.

At the 4th store (CarQuest) I was getting so irritated with the lack of customer service I just stood at the door and asked the guy behind the counter if he knew what a 289 was.

He said, "Sure do. Best engine Ford ever made."

Been buying my parts there ever since. I probably pay more than other places but to me it's worth the extra few bucks to get what I want when I want it, and I know it'll be a high-quality part, if it is defective I just take it back and they give me another one.

By the way, a stuck voltage regulator is another part that responds well to a hammer strike.:wink:

Arlie

Just to add on to that. The starter solenoid from NAPA comes kindof a cream white. I taped it off and sprayed it black to look original. It just didn't have the sticker on the side. I don't remember what color the voltage regulator came but once again, I painted ford blue and both parts looked just as good as the original looking parts I bought before. Plus, it seems to me like they were much better quality parts.

I am planning on buying the same starter solenoid for my cobra and painting black as well since I had such good luck with it.

Paul

I bought my starter solenoid from O'reillys. Although the part number is different, it does have the Ford logo and it comes in black.

Don't mind the spots, I had to drive it in the rain the other day, those photos really show where you missed cleaning.