Ok, it is more than time to get a new car!!!!

I was driving down the road, no problems, noises, etc. at all. The car stalled (pretty normal thing now) and I went to start it while coasting in neutral like I have done many times before. (The car is a standard)

It wouldn't start, so I pulled over to the side of the road and tried. All I heard was the (a) solenoid click... no starter activity. I thought.... dead battery. I turned on the headlights and told my girlfriend to watch them as I tried to start it. They dimmed, but did not dim that much. So, battery it is not.

We pushed the car and I popped it in 2nd, starting the car. I drove it home and tried to start it again, same deal. That's where the car sits... again.

My question is, why does a starter work fine and 10 minutes later stop working altogether? I'd just replace it if I wasn't affraid to loose another.

I just had my clutch done... could the starter have been screwed up then?

 

Do you have headers?
This happened to alot of people, the starter is way to close to the exhaust headers or manifolds and heats it up.
I would replace that starter with a mini-starter and add a heat shield. Im going to do this soon myself.

 

I don't have headers.... but come to think of it, I do have a bad exhaust leak on the passenger side exhaust manifold to the y pipe... that must be it!

 

You don't necessarily have to have headers to get "solenoid heat soak." My car did it on a regular basis w/ the stock setup. Get the MADD solenoid by-pass kit, or just go buy a starter solenoid for a (ugh) Ford, and wire it up. I have a high-torque mini-starter, and was "assured" that it would not heat-soak. I wired up my old MADD kit, and problem solved.

 

Whats this about the solenoid bypass? Is that the part that fails due to the heat? I swear that is working fine!

 

if youre hearing the solenoid click then it should be fine....get a mini-starter and a heat shield like theyre saying and you should be good to go!

 

Sounds like a plan... but there are so many different ones! Brands, hp, etc... what one do you guys recommend?

 

Beware! I've been thru this crap before. Don't waste your time or money on a heat shield. They don't help! Just bypass the factory solenoid, and your problem will disappear!

 

Ok, how do I do that? I don't want to screw anything up!!!