[ihc] Starter running on

["Joseph Shaw, II" <josephshaw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Okay-I wrote for advice on this about two weeks ago-the last time I had time
to tinker with it, but now have some new info.

This is all on a '77 Diesel N/A Scout II set-up, w/auto trans.

First, I went out, tried to start it again just to see if it hadn't decided to
"slip into" a working condition while I had let it sit.  It immediately stuck
on, starting glowing red hot and smoking, etc.  By the time I got the cable
off, the mounting plate for the terminal was literally melting!!!  I couldn't
believe it!  And this was a brand new battery!

Anyway, obviously it still sticks.  However, I decided to take it out and try
to put a little grease on the starter gear and see if that didn't allow it to
release, as was mentioned by Allan E, I believe.

Well, While I had it out I decided to test it again while out of the block,
and this time it did spin, but the starter gear did not slide up the shaft-it
sat still in place inside the housing, and thus, would not seem to be able to
turn the engine over.  Now it was definitely turning the whole engine over
while I had it in there, but wondered if there was some reason for this.  I
thought it was mainly a centripetal/centrifugal kind of force that caused the
starter gear to slide up and engage the flywheel in the first place, so I
figured while out of the engine, it should work even better than while in the
engine.

Is this wrong?

Thanks!

Michael