Hey Folks,

Been driving an 87 240 wagon for some years now. Just started acting up; a couple weeks back, went to start it and nothing - warning lights came on in position 2, turn to start, and nothing. Thought it might need a jump, connected cables, nothing - then wiggled the cable on the positive post, and it started up. OK, seemed pretty straightforward.

Then yesterday, when I went to start her, she started, then the starter shrieked once she was running; I switched her off, and she kept turning over, kind of lolloping, like the starter was still turning the flywheel, maybe, but kind of lolloping, almost like an idle, but really uneven. I turned the key to start again, and she kept going; switched the key off, kept going; turned it back to start again, and it cut off. Then, turned the key off, went to start again, no go; turned the key off, went to start again, and she started up and ran fine. Got home, turned her off & started her up a few times, and she was fine.

So I read up a bit, and found some posts (including one about a 240 that would keep running when shut off, with a bridge between fuses 4 and 5, but I hadn't replaced the relay in question that that bridge was meant to bypass), and a few mentions that it could be the ignition starter switch. I fortunately have a parts car (82 wagon), and so I pulled the switch off of it and swapped it out.

First time I went to start her up after the swap, she started, the starter shrieked, and kept shrieking; I turned her off, and she kept turning over in that rough way, like before. I turned the key back to start position, and she cut out; I turned the key all the way off, went to start her, and she started up fine. Repeated four times - and she starts up, no problem.

I of course suspect a starter issue, but that wouldn't explain why she keeps going when the key is off, would it? Would a bad starter be able to draw current, and keep turning the flywheel even after the key is turned off?

I really appreciate and admire you guys, and all your help; I've long been a peruser of the forum, but only now have a problem I wanted to post, that seemed unique enough to merit it. Thanks, and can't wait to see the conversation.

 

Ignition switch is what comes to mind...

 

I did swap out the ignition switch, in fact (see above); it was an old one, from a car I used to drive years ago. It never had the same symptoms; it seems kinda unlikely that the second switch would start acting up in the same way just after I put it in the other car...

 

Well we say the switch because you have orders going to your starter that it should only get with the key turned. Either the switch is bad or the wires leaving it are comingling allow a ground wire to attach to a ground or wires closer to the starter are providing a hot lead.

 

I can't really understand your entire description, but you could have a sticky solenoid in the starter.

The way to tell if its the ignition switch is staying on is by testing for voltage at the single wire test plug at the center of the firewall. find it and post back with a picture and I will respond again.

 

Sorry for the confusion; here's the sequence, just for the record:
Start car, runs, but starter shrieks while on;
Turn key to 0, car keeps turning over, but unevenly (maybe because starter is still engaged?)
Turn key to 2, car runs, starter still shrieks;
Turn key to start, nothing changes
Turn key to 0, car keeps turning over
Turn key to 2, car shuts off
Turn key to 0
Try to start, nothing - no click, no noises
Turn back to 0
Try to start, car starts & runs fine.

The analysis about the ignition switch, or the wires, makes sense to me, and is pretty close to what I had figured. But while I like working on the car, I'm not trained, and I know my knowledge is limited; I thought I'd see if more practiced minds had an insight.

After I swapped out the starter switch (pulled from an 82 parts car), it acted similarly the first time I went to start it:
Started & ran, with starter shrieking;
Turned to 0, kept turning over
Turned to 2, it shut off
Turned back to 0
Started and ran fine.

Since then, I've started and driven it maybe ten times, and it's been fine.

REVOLV, my meter's battery is dead; once I get that sorted, I'll test the voltage at the test plug. Much appreciated.