Hi guys,
Yesterday my girlfriend called and said the Bonneville died in the parking lot. I get there and it has 0 power so I look for the obvious and check fuses they look ok, so I get to the battery under the back seat and see it is dead, when I hook up my jumper box it gets power but I can hear the starter spinning full time even without the key in the car it isnt grinding on the flywheel but even if you put the key in it will not engage it just keeps spinning until I unhook power. any ideas? any help would be great.
Thanks in advance, JD

starter solenoid maybe? if it was stuck in the on position yet the gear didnt engage maybe that would explain this? Pop the starter off and take it to the auto parts store to have them test it. Any other ideas?

edit: to get it to stop try whacking the starter with a hammer a few times.

Starter solonoid is what I was also thinking, but not sure if that is even possible to fail that way :?

Thanks I will give it a try, also has the original battery so I will try a new one. This is crazy I have never seen a car starter engage even after the key is pulled out.
JD

I agree that the most likely suspect is a short across the terminals inside the solenoid. Start by pulling the "Start" relay from the under-hood fuse box and see if it still has the problem. If it does, it pretty much points to a problem internal to the starter or solenoid.

This is a new one to me.
Try pulling the ignition fuse and start relay?

One other question, if I need a tow can I pull a front wheel drive in neutral with a pick up a short distance or is this a no-no?
JD

yes done it myself a few times

GM does not recommend it. They suggest wheel lifts, or dollies. If you keep the speed down, and it is for a very short distance, you can probably get away with it.

Thanks for the help guys, a battery and a starter later back on the road. Starter solenoid was shorting out