85SD sitting for a few days. Yesterday battery was down & it barely turned over. Today I put a volt meter across battery terminals & turned key to crank. Voltage dropped to measured 3 volts so I went to get a battery charger.

When I came back, engine was attempting to crank (ignition switch off - I checked) and what looked like smoke was coming from the firewall. I disconnected and pulled the battery. Nothing looks burned and water hoses look solid.

So...I'll charge & test the battery or toss it if it is obviously bad. Then test the ignition switch, starter & solenoid. Anything that would cause starter to engage without the key?

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Sounds like a bad ignition switch... or a short somewhere going to the starter. I'd check those wires. I'd also check if it was the starter the one smoking. In that case the motor is bad. Hope you find the problem...

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[/SIGPIC]~cirrusman

1983 Mercedes Benz 300SD - Wife calls him "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
[SIGPIC]




1983 Toyota Tercel (Tommy, The little Toyota that could)
1965 Ford F100 (Grandma Ford)
2005 Toyota Sienna (Elsa, Wife's ride)


Gone:
1988 Toyota Pickup
2004 Subaru Outback

1987 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1986 Volvo 740 GL Station Wagon - Piece of junk.
1981 Volvo 242 DL 2 Door - Hated to see it go. R.I.P.
1987 Pontiac Fiero GT

Battery took a charge. Engine cranks without the key. Apparently, that is what pulled the charge down.

Is there a starter relay? Perhaps the solenoid is staying closed. My FSM is missing the electric wiring files. Hopefully I can find the disk or have them on another machine.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.