smash72

Started innocent enough got in went to start the 72 Cutlass fine no problem started right up. Went out later same day to put back in garage and the starter stayed engaged tried turning off, pulled out key stayed engaged. Scrambled to unhook battery to shut it down. That worked. I let it sit a min then touched the positive cable and sparks. I’m assuming ignition switch replaced it seemed to go ok however once positive cable was attached sparks again. Made sure switch was in proper #2 off position same result. Now I’m not leaving the battery cable on long just tapping it for fear of serious damage. Is my starter out of sync or does it sound fried. The first time it happened I was pretty quick to pull the battery cable like under 20 sec fast so any thoughts ? Before I replace the starter.

fleming442

I don't think it's the starter. I've never seen one stick on; they usually get slow or dead/open.

You mention replacing the ignition switch- start there. Sounds like you have the pink and purple crossed, reversed, or something to that effect. Take the purple wire off the starter (my 67 has a connector at the horn relay). Then, use a test light to verify proper signal distribution. If you have an HEI, that's probably going hot on start.

smash72

the wiring of the ignition harness only goes in one way. What concerns me is I had this short right after this happened and nothing seemed to change after changing the ignition switch. I’m hoping to get it up on my neighbors lift to troubleshoot further.

fleming442

So, the starter is crossed to hot, as soon as you hook up the battery? Could be melted on the exhaust.
Anyway, disconnect the purple from the starter until you figure it out. Troubleshooting will be much less eventful, shall we say.

442Harv

ON my sons 68 The cable ran close to the oil dip stick tube and shorted out.We wandered why the tube had a small hole in it now we know why.

Chugger

Do you have an after market shifter ? I've seen the contacts for the nuetral safety and the reverse lights get loose and short as the shifter was pulled from park. Only way to stop the starter was to pull the battery cable.

smash72

I have a dual gate shifter no neutral switch

smash72

I’m not sure if it’s crossed to the starter, it just sparks and I don’t continue. I will use a meter and trace the short. It’s just weird out of the blue shorted like this. It’s also possible the ignition switch was never the problem. These 70s rides do keep you busy.

oldcutlass

You need to pull the purple wire off the S terminal at the starter and see if you have voltage there or try to reconnect the pos terminal and see if the sparks go away. It may be a bad starter solenoid.

briane

Years back on my Impala I had the starter stay on irrespective of the ignition switch position. If I pulled the battery cable it would correct itself, i.e., starter was off upon cable reconnection. The worst thing, or perhaps the most embarrassing thing, the first time it occurred I was in a funeral procession. Replacement of the starter and solenoid fixed it.

Grampsolds

I once had my starter stay stuck on. It was the wires on the starter touching each other.

GN1220

When you put the cable back on does the starter spin or just the sparks? Sounds like a bad solenoid.