Re: !! Sparks !!
My first thought was exactly the same as Keith's, but then when someone mentioned a poor ground, that also is possible. One end of the rod touches the switch housing and the other end touches the firewall, so if the starter has a poor ground then when the starter demands 100 amps sparks could fly from the rod where it touches the firewall, and provides another ground path.
To check for a poor electrical path just connect the meter leads to the points in question and see if any voltage is shown. 0 volts would mean you have a good connection. So, connect one meter lead (-) to the starter switch housing and the other meter lead (+) to the firewall, then push the starter switch and hope to read 0 volts. Set the meter on the lowest DC volts setting.
It's also easy to remove the switch and inspect the two insulating parts inside that Keith mentioned. I often find the thick t part at the end of the rod is worn and can short.
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