The Damnedest Thing

I have been driving since I was 12 years old. I have owned dozens of different types of automobiles, and driven many others that belonged to friends, relatives, companys I worked for or customers of Millers Garage. During that 47 years I have driven nearly 2 million miles by my estimate. Since a great deal of that involved trips of less than 50 miles, I think it safe to say that I have started a vehicle tens if not hundreds of thousands of times in my life. But yesterday afternoon I experienced something I had never experienced before while starting a vehicle.

I was on my way to Columbiana in my white ford van and I stopped by the local Raceway to get some gas. When I had finished getting the gas, I got back into the van and turned the key to start it. It started immediately, but the starter did not disengage from the flywheel and while the engine was running, the starter was still turning. Now that has happened to me before so I immediately switched off the key. Then the damnedest thing happened. The engine died, but the starter kept right on turning. Apparently the starter solenoid had stuck in an actuated position. I rasied the hood and located the starter solenoid on the inner fender well next to the battery. Then I went around to the back of the van, located a jack handle went back to the front of the van. All the while, the starter was grinding away. I gave the starter solenoid a good whack with the jack handle and the starter stopped. I got back into the van, turned the key to start it. It started right up normally and I went on to Columbiana. Don't know what caused the starter solenoid to stick like that but I can assure you that it is a very unnerving experience.