Starter Issue

[Jetaholic]

My starter bendix seems to be sticking on my 454. Once the motor fires up, the starter stays engaged for about 2-3 seconds, and then disengages. The starter is a Hardin Marine mini-starter...the CP Performance part # on it is 620-5399M for those of you who wish to look it up. The problem was worse than it is now, so I shimmed it about 5/64" and it seems to have gotten better (doesn't hang up for as long of a time period), but I can't figure out why I would have to shim a starter that much. Do I just keep shimming it?
Any ideas?

[Jetaholic]

Well I found the cause...but I don't understand why it's the cause.
At first I had the starter wired with the safety solenoid, as shown in this pic.
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=30451&stc=1&d=1178683778
However, with it wired like that, the starter hangs on the flywheel for about 2-3 seconds after the motor is up and running.
So then I wired it up the standard automotive way, as shown in this pic:
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=30452&stc=1&d=1178683778
With it wired the standard automotive way, the starter works fine and doesn't hang up.
The solenoid is a brand new unit. What would cause it to do this?

[DelawareDave]

First diagram looks incorrect. Battery power is going thru aux solenoid, instead of direct to starter. Aux solenoid should only control solenoid on starter. Run wire from aux solenoid to small terminal on starter, and run 0 or 1 gauge from bat to starter big post, as in diagram 2.

[Jetaholic]

I've seen some guys hook theirs up as shown in diagram #1. The idea there is to remove all power from the starter so that in the event that it sticks, the flywheel will kick it back into its housing instead of the starter staying engaged. For some reason, it works on other people's boats, but not mine.
Could it be that that particular diagram doesn't work on gear reduction starters?

[Oldsquirt]

Jet, diagram #1 should work properly. It is a common modification when trying to work around excessive voltage drop in the starter trigger circuit.
With all new wiring, I don't really know why you feel the need to use that slave relay setup. Maybe 25 years down the road when the wires are starting to show their age........BTW, in 25+ years in the auto repair business, I have seen only 3 starters that had their solenoids stick in the "ON" position. Really not a very big concern.
The mini hi-torque gear reduction starters work the same as a stock GM starter as far as electrical operation goes. Wire them up the same way.
You might try testing that slave relay to see if it is slow in releasing. Relay may be bad or just not the correct choice for the task you have given it. It needs to be able to handle 200-300 amps.
Delaware Dave is desrcibing the most common way to use a relay to operate a starter in an automotive application. I use that same method in my boat. The relay, however will be just a small Bosch type as it only has to handle a very small current. "Painless Wiring" has a couple different pre-wired kits that make the install quick and "painless" :). I hid mine under one end of my terminal block.
In automotive and (I will assume) marine wiring diagrams, switches are always illustrated inside a box or circle(usually just ign sw). Makes it clear what it is.