Starter Wont Go off, only have power to starter

[Jaruszewski]

Picked up a early 1985 944 and as soon as i connected the battery the starter began spinning, other then that the car is dead, no power to lights on the dash, door chimes, radio, window switches, etc.. no matter what key position, no fuses under the dash seem to be blown, all I have is constant power to the starter which spins endlessly until i disconnect the battery. Help!!

[OK-944]

Sounds like a short in the ignition switch. And/or maybe a bad starter solenoid? Does the engine spin as well...or just the starter motor?

[Jaruszewski]

Originally Posted by OK-944

Sounds like a short in the ignition switch. And/or maybe a bad starter solenoid? Does the engine spin as well...or just the starter motor?

I replaced the starter solenoid, didn’t seem to make a difference, engine doesn’t spin. Only movement is the starter, no power anywhere in the rest of the car.

[walfreyydo]

Check to see if you are getting a constant +12V to the solenoid even with the keys out of the ignition. If you do then its your ignition switch or a short to that wire.

[Jaruszewski]

Originally Posted by walfreyydo

Check to see if you are getting a constant +12V to the solenoid even with the keys out of the ignition. If you do then its your ignition switch or a short to that wire.

While waiting for a new ignition switch i took the old one out and tested, starter still spun with the ignition switch not even connected. Could this still be the ignition switch?

[walfreyydo]

Originally Posted by Jaruszewski

While waiting for a new ignition switch i took the old one out and tested, starter still spun with the ignition switch not even connected. Could this still be the ignition switch?

Are you getting +12V to the solenoid even with the switch disconnected? What about on the wire running to the solenoid (check with it disconnected from the starter)?

Could be an internal short on the starter, or a short on the solenoid signal wire. A starter should not fire without +12V to solenoid. Determine how the starter is getting that +12V signal to the solenoid without the ignition connected by checking the above. Backtrack from there. Its possible the starter has an internal short although Ive never seen that myself. You could test that by only running power and ground to starter and see if it fires without any wire connected to solenoid.

[originalowner]

If the engine is not spinning, but the starter is, then the solenoid is not engaging. Possibly the battery cable is connected to the same terminal of the solenoid that goes into the starter.

[Jaruszewski]

Update on the situation: replaced starter solenoid+replaced ignition switch. Sadly still no change, starter freely spins no matter what.

[J1NX3D]

Check your battery to starter and alternator wiring. They corrode with age and are noticeably causing more problems in our cars including shorting the starter and engine bay fires

[walfreyydo]

Its a wiring or issue with the starter itself then.

[J1NX3D]

If it ends up being wiring, this guy makes better than stock battery, starter and alternator cables. I have bought a few of his products including the 968 Starter Alternator Harness. Very high quality.

https://www.dcmachinist.com/

See this RL thread although it is about an engine swap
https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-944-951-968-forum/1265897-electrical-fire.html

also these ones
http://forums.tipec.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=24797&sid=313fe2b30883d8517fe4da5415b850f2

Battery cables



This is the 968 starter issue video I saw that led me to replace my starter/alt harness. All transaxle cars seem t be susceptible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPLt44W5UAI&t=1s