Any ideas on what's causing this?

[vanoochka]

Here's my symptoms:

Sometimes when starting the Cobra, the starter continues to turn even after I let go of the button. (I have a push-button ignition) While this has been happening, I disconnected the wires from the push-button and it continues, so I'm assuming the button is not sticking.

The starter continues to turn for 30 seconds or so and then stops. It even continues to turn after the engine fires, but then eventually stops.

It doesn't do this every time, but maybe 50% of the time.

After driving the car for a while, if I turn the engine off and try to restart, it is dead. I am getting power to the push-button as all the gauges are active and the Accusump will engage. But as it relates to the starter, it is like the battery is dead - nothing. When this happens, I can start the car by jumping the poles on the solenoid. When I jump at the solenoid the starter never continues to turn after the car starts.

However, when I come back to start it the next day, or even after a few hours, it fires right up. I'm guessing this problem is temperature related?

I just replaced the coil a couple of weeks ago when all this nonsense started, but it had no effect.

Any ideas? Thanks!

[Randy Rosenberg]

Sounds to me like it's the solenoid.

[jhv48]

He is correct. Replace the solenoid and the problem will go away.

[scootter]

Chuck,

You should also check to see how it is wired. I believe there is a diagram on the SCOF site. I switched the way mine was wired when I bought the car cause I would get a bit of starter run on. You don't want all the juice from the battery going through the solenoid.

Scott

[vanoochka]

Thanks, guys.

SPF electonics wizard, Blas, also agreed on "solenoid" and was good enough to send me one of his extras, cheap. I'm in Melbourne, Australia this week but will hook it up when I get back to Florida and post the results.