Hi all and happy new year (still January so it's ok to say so!) Yesterday I started my car and drove it around, stopped somewhere, started it again, drove home, no worries. This morning I try to start it, cranks and stalles, that happens when cold, but wouldn't restart, I turn the key a few times, not too many and started seeing smoke coming out of the hood, so I stopped on the spot. Terminal cable from + side of the battery to solenoid was melting!!! Solenoid was cold though. I look at the terminal cable, it's all rusted where it connects to the solenoid so i'm guessing it's creating a huge resistance at that spot and I should replace it. I went to Autozone (with the battery to test it too, it's good) and got myself a new terminal cable, cleaned the connectors on the solenoid side, connected it all, turned the key, it cranked and started on the very first start... And the starter kept spinning (I believe from the sound) so I immediately turn the key off, keeps spinning like crazy so I run out and unplug the battery, I hear the flywheel slowly wizzing down to a stop. Now I'm scared! What happened? Is the solenoid messed up? The starter? Something else?
Need a new solenoid... Anytime one keeps cranking it's likely stuck, whacking it with screwdriver handle usually frees it... Once they've stuck first time it will happen again...
