IF YOU HAVE HOT STARTING PROBLEMS, READ ON...

I have had a hot starting problem with my 1988 Camaro 305 TBI since I have had it (about a year and a half).

It has been the most annoying and worrying problem about the car and has made me paranoid about stalling at traffic lights or wherever would be a bad place to stop as sometimes it wont start up at all.

My symptoms were engine cranking very slowly and lights dimming while trying to start it when the engine was at just below normal running temperature or anything above (taking into account that I'm running a 160 degree thermostat), the hotter the engine the worse the problem.

I have cleaned starter connections - no help
Cleaned battery negative-to-body connection - no help
Put a jump lead across the battery negative to the engine block to help current get across to the block as I suspected the battery to block connection was at fault and I couldnt be bothered to clean it as I could hardly get a wrench on it so gave up - no help anyway.

I ordered some exhaust insulator wrap to complement a starter heat shield which I have not put on yet. The wrap came today and I have just finished wrapping the 1 foot of exhaust pipe directly underneath the starter.
PROBLEM SOLVED!!!:lala:

My engine cranks over fine now no matter how hot the engine temperature is, I will add the heat shield and perhaps wrap the starter itself at a later date just as backup, but I'm happy for now.

Finally I can relax when I drive into a gas station, or pull up at a set of lights.

This may not cure your problem, but its so cheap at $20 and takes only half an hour to install so its worth a shot, good luck

 

UK,

That's typical on the older style starters, especially those with weak field windings. Don't be too surpriaed if the problem returns, but at least you'll have a clue to the problem.

 

I'll agree with Vader. Glad to hear it's working but heat shields are usually a crutch (and not a very good one) for hot start problems. Usually the starter is on it's way out or just too weak to begin with. In recent years I have become convinced of the effectiveness of small high torque gear reduction mini starters. Aside from them, a high quality genuine new GM starter seems to be the best twist-per-dollar out there. Rebuilt parts store starters are almost always junk- they're either weak or they don't last long or both.