Alright, ever since I put on my hooker 2055 headers a couple of years back my car has had trouble starting after I've driven it around for a while. When there's rain, or the rare occasion of cold weather it's never a problem. I had the starter replaced with another starter and put on a moroso heat shield. The effect took longer, but I still got heat soak. Ever since then, I have been popping the hood and using the latch to prop it up a couple of inches after extended drives. Last week, I finally decided enough was enough and I bought a Powermaster XS Torque mini starter. I just had it put on today and it started right up. I took it for a very lengthy drive and then shut off the car and again it started right up. I let the car sit for a half hour in the 90 degree heat with the hood closed and click... It refuses to start. I'm stumped. Please help!

 

I'm going through the exact same issue but I am putting my mini starter on this weekend,Hopefully after I do I won't have the same problems as your having!!!!

 

Wont' crank or cranks but won't fire?

 

Engine doesn't try to turn over whatsoever- I just hear a click when I turn the key.

 

i had the same problem on the s10 5.0 the exhaust is 1/2 inch away from the starter i baught a duralast starter and sylinoid and it still works good i went ahead and replaced them both at the same tim
good luck
nick

 

I have also installed a Powermaster 9600 153/168 Tooth mini starter on my 89 GTA 5.7 . I am expirencing the same problums. When I turn the key the starter gear is engaging but hits the fly wheel on the way out. The only way i have been able to over come this problum is but going underneath the car and turning the pinion gear by hand before trying to start the car. I am getting really sick of this issue and have called powermaster to try and solve but they claim it to be an electrical issue. I checked and its all fine. Can anybody please tell me what i can do to solve this?

 

Alright. I'll help, but you may not like my answer. The starter requires a large amount of current to "pull-in". So much that they can't fuse the circuit with anything but a fuse link. We're talking a current surge of close to 60 amps. If the teeth are not aligned the solenoid must pull hard enough to compress the spring that pushes the bendix out until the starter turns and snaps the bendix in. If it's not the starter or battery, the problem you are having is low voltage on the solenoid pull in wire. It is age and heat related. There are several places that can bottleneck the power to the solenoid.
1) the fuse link and connections that feeds B2 & B3 terminals on the ignition switch.
2) the ignition switch contacts and terminals.
3) the gear select switch (makes sure it will only start in neutral), or clutch switch on manual transmissions (makes sure it will only crank with the clutch in).
4) the bulkhead connector that carries the power from the above mentioned switch to the purple wire on the solenoid.

The circuit that supplies power to the key switch is prone to bad connections (from age and corrosion) that will heat up from the voltage going thru them as the car is being driven.
When the car is turned off the circuit will now not provide enough amps to engage the starter.

For those guys in Rio Linda, I've included a picture. This is what we're looking for. Connections that look like this:

 

Let me clarify. The solenoid will pull in fine with 6-8 volts when it is cold.
When it is hot it will have to have full voltage to do the same task.