Starter keeps running

Awesome!

Were you able to positively determine it as the issue, or simply replaced out of caution? A multi-meter across the 'load' terminals (heavy gage wires, versus the signal wire(s) from the ignition switch) would indicate a shorted ("welded") condition and verify it was truly faulty.

Nice try. Please re-word this and post again. And, plus, now that' he's yarded that thing out of there and thrown it against the wall the damnned thing prob'ly isn't "welded shut" anyhow