I have a 91 Camaro that starts every now and then but usually doesn't. Its made me late to work, school, and even a wedding. So heres the issue, I get in turn the key and nothing happens...starter does not engage everything is silent, however all the electronics in the car come on like dash lights etc. After searching on here I found out about the VATS system and figured that must be the issue. However while tinkering with it one day i discovered that the car started...without the key! (ya it needs a new lock cylinder bad) So now I know its not the VATS. I then started to notice that the car started every single time when the engine was cold such as after sitting overnight. If I wait several hours it will also start presumably because the starter cooled off. I'm running a 400 small block with the starter nestled right down by the headers. But heres the catch! As the temps warm up here in Wisconsin it seems like it doesnt want to start ever even when its sat for 4-5 hours. Could the starter still be hot enough to not work? This seem familiar to anybody? PLEASE HELP!!!

 

Step 1 is to check electrical connections, especially the battery cables. Step 2 is to check the voltage that is getting down to the starter - it isn't unusual for switches and connectors in the circuit to stop passing full voltage down.

 

Any idea what kind of voltage the starter should be getting? Or should it ideally be as close to what the battery puts out as possible? How low before the starter would fail to engage?

Sorry about all the questions...i'm sorta just getting into all this stuff.

 

i ran into a problem just recently that when my car got hott it wouldnt start or let starter turnover. got new selonoid, re wired lines and cleaned battery cables and connectors. come to find out it was my battery. put optima in no problems since