Here's a picture of how the starter is currently wired up:


and some pictures of it on the bench:

I'm guessing these are the multiplugs you mentioned?


I've also got this thing which I'm not sure what it's for?


And another plug like this at the battery connections:

Ok test the voltages on the plug for the ignition switch with it unplugged.

Starter looks right, you can bench test it with a black jumplead on the case to the negative on the battery. Red Jump lead to the big terminal and + on the battery and then touch another wire from the + to the smaller terminal on the starter. IT WILL Jump a bit :)

TT

the last plug looks like a side repeater.

the one with a red cap is the self test socket.

Alternator looks right.

Ok so I just went & tested the starter like you said, needless to say it made me jump! So I guess it's working ok as it spun round and jumped and make some nice big sparks.

I also checked the yellow/black wire in the plug with the multimeter and there's still 12v coming thru to the plug in all key positions :(

So what does the self test socket do?

unplug the ignition switch, we need to determine if the switch is causing the +12V on the wire or if there's voltage on it regardless.

I think we can put the starter issue down to the immobaliser. PM on its way...

TT

So when I just did that voltage check, I had unplugged the ignition at the column and stuck the probes down into the plug on the loom side vs key hole side so to speak?

Yes. loom side

Ok I checked the ignition plug loom side and I still get 12v on the yellow/black wire in all key positions(reading does go up slightly in position 3). I also had a look for the plug you mentioned in your pm and I can't see anything like that. I have got a pair of 2 row, 6 pin plugs that are red & white nearby but I'm not sure if anything was plugged into them when I stripped it. I have disconnected the whole stero loom as this was just one plug that went in near the column so maybe it's on there somewhere or that needs to be connected?

Its only a thought but most of the problems seem to stem from what is present in the way of live feeds to and from the ignition switch. Has the ignition switch/barrel ever been dismantled? We had a situation a while ago on a machine where the plastic bit on the back of the switch had been tugged out and one of our guys just shoved it back on and bent the tags over again. This in effect had wrongly indexed the barrel to the switch and had the starter engaged all the time.<cost me a starter> but a lot more in time finding the fault.

Just thoughts.

Bob