I have had my comet now for 5 years, and I've recently run in to a new problem: when the car is running and I turn the key to the off position the engine keeps running even with the key pulled out of the ignition. The only way to stop the engine that I've yet found is to cut off power to the starter coil either by pulling the hot lead off the battery, or using an interrupter switch I've installed down stream from the ignition switch. The key will start the car when it is in the start position most of the time (see below for description), and the instrument panel lights go threw their test, but when I do kill the engine by way of the interrupter switch, the engine light on the dash turns on and will not turn off. As for the car sometimes not starting, it will just act like a mostly dead battery and I'll have to whack the starter solenoid, and occasionally when I do get it to start the starter won't disengage for about 10 seconds after the engine starts. I am planning on replacing the solenoid but I I've had three solenoids go bad before and none have produced symptoms quite like this, which brings me to one last question. Does anybody know a good solenoid brand? I haven't yet found one that lasts longer than 2 years.
It kinda sounds like the 2 wires that go to the solenoid are switched, one wire should be a red with blue strip and the other should be a green wire (can't remember the color of the stripe that's in it) their should be two terminals on the front, the red wire goes to the left side and the green goes to right
Make sure the ignition coil is not getting power with the key "off" or it will overheat and explode. I had a Torino that did something similar.
Trying to crank with a weak battery is what ruins solenoids quicker than anything else... The cranking after start is a classic condition...
