self starting waggy

so i have an 86 grand wagoneer that the battery keeps dieing and now every time i try to connect the jumper cables to jump off the waggy, it tries to start itself. maybe the solenoid is stuck? im really not wanting to spend alotta money on useless parts.

It sounds like your starter is engaged all the time...could be the starter, the solenoid, or even the switch on the steering column. I'd suggest getting a friend to help, and testing the voltage at these three areas as the cables are being hooked up to the battery.