Hi!

I got an really PITA problem..
When I been running for a while in a real hot summer day.
And park and let the car stand... the starter wont start (wont even try to turn)

I only hear one (1) click in the starter relay (inside the car)
If I let the car cool down for 30mins to 1 hour it starts fine with no hesitation or problem at all..

I have a brand new (reman Delco/remy installed)
It was changed by an Chevy Mechanic store.. (so its properly intalled.)

I also have an heatsheild (the type you swap around the whole starter)
It have helped some but not fully..

What can I do, the battery have good power and it have been tested by and electrical store (load test) so the battery is fine..

What can be causing this problem, is it only heat ? Do I need even more heat protection ?

The engine is running at normal temp when driving, and when im cruising alot in hot sun I have an switch wich can run the fans manually (at any temp) then I run it so the car never goes above 92 deg Celcius (~197 F)

Sometimes when I dont run the manual switch to on it goes to the normal fan on temp wich is around ~220F (wich is stock temp for fan enable)
But the starter and engine should be fine even at that temp cause its made that way

So what todo, I have tested 3 brands of starters, all will have the same problem after ~1 months of driving (they will start being sensitive against temperature) Ive tested 6 Ministarters (all where broken, was tested by the seller..) I returned them and drove to and chevy mechanic store and they installed an stock (reman) delco/remy wich is runnning good when cold/medium warm... but on heavy heat (really warm days and some hard running in the town, low speeds etc.)

It wont turn until it cools off..

Its a pretty much stock car and it have the stock manifold on (so there is NO headers involed)

Thanks, and cheers

 

Sounds like the problem I had. Check the wiring from battery to ignition key to starter. Look for a wire that was spliced in. I had one from a former owner who had a alarm system and removed it. He put in a lighter gage of wire. When the wires got hot, they would not carry the load.

 

Thanks for the reply,

A friend already told me that and we tested it, It is the stock wiring and the cable is fine, we measured it when cold and hot. I even tested by running and second wire with no difference..

I was readin about a "Ford solenoid relocation kit" yesterday.
Wouldnt that help this problem , by moving the solenoid from the exhaust/starter then it wont be hot...

Or isnt it a solenoid problem ?


Link to a how to: http://www.maliburacing.com/starter_solenoid.html
Kit: http://www.thehotrodcompany.com/shop...ct_id=BEP52021


Thanks again for response, any other ideas ?




EDIT: Adding some more info.

I have no headers, its the stock manifold..

The heatshield on the stock manifolds are at the top (where they sit against the heads) They are still there, but where the Y connection joins is very close to the starter so there you have alot of heat.

And where the Y connection and passengerside exhausepipe/manifold connects NUMBER:1 (where you bolt it togheter) is only ~1,5cm from the starter.
and that is givig ALOT of heat directly into the starter..

NUMBER2: is also pretty close and giving ALOT of heat into the starter..


Strange that I never had this problem 2 years ago.
It always started , now I cant get it to start when really really hot.
And I have tested ALOT of starters... Even got the heatshield wrapped around the starter, it got little better but it didnt solve the problem..

Picture:

 

Ok back from my garage now, been doing a test.

I was drivig the car for ~1½ hours in daylight (30deg celcius and real sunny (~86 deg F)
When I drove in the town I was running the fans (both) to keep it around 92 dec Celcius (~197 Deg F) all the time (it runs really good at that temp)

When I got home I parked in the garage, and I thought of trying to start her around every ~5mins (to see how long it takes for her to not start due the heat..

after 5 mins in my garage (hood closed, engine off and car locked)
I tried to start her, started as it should, smooth and easy.

Testat again after 5 mins, same thing.. then I thought I wait 20 mins to next start..

So after 20mins I try again... nothing... the engine temp gauge jumped to the top while holding the key to crank position. but nothing happened..

Checked the battery it was at 12.6V (and around pee warm)
Checked the battery when trying to crank it dropped to 12.0V

But it wasnt turning over or anything. I opened the hood for 15-20mins andd then tried to start her again, started smooth and without any problems..

So I runned her hot again to ~220deg F (right before when the first fan starts and then I shut her down)

Let her sit for ~30mins again, then I tried to start her again. Same thing
Nothing happened, just one (1) click in the floorpan starter relay, and the temp gauge when to the top, and nothing else.

So I thought of trying battery help (connecting my dailydrive car battery to see if it was a powerloss or something) the same, nothing happened... dead...

Then I opened the hood, turned on both fans for 5 mins and tried to start her again. She started fine and smooth.

So what can we take for conclusion about this ? Is it the solenoid thats failing and not putting thru power when hot ?

 

i think you should completely ignore the heat cooling thing.
I've got the exact same thing happening.
I start work at 4-5am bout 18degrees C in australia, and i turn the key and it clicks but nothing, 2nd 3rd 4th or fifth go and it kicks in, but it's random.

This afternoon I was stuck at work for 30mins continually kicking it over, battery was still strong, doing the same thing with the temp gauge going to max etc, and just 1 click at the start motor.

I ended up tapping it with a wrench a bunch of times and then it started.

I haven't had a chance to check all the wiring, but i think it could be either that or the solenoid.

 

Google " starter heat soak problem" .
Well documented problem on GM starters were heat increases the resistance of solenoid wiring

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showpo...3&postcount=10

http://www.oldengine.org/unfaq/solenoid.htm

 

was the issue ever fixed?

 

did you ever find the problem?

 

It's a really old thread. I had a similar problem with a Chrysler. Turned out when it got hot, the solenoid armature would get stuck.

 

Problem was solved (back in the day) and it turned out to be two separate things.
Starter solenoid was affected by heat soak making it stuck,
Second was ignition switch was worn (and burnt in the connectors)



Both items was replaced and starter was shielded off with wrap and a metal sheild.
Problem was then resolved


PS. I know it is an old thread but maybe someone could read this thread again and this picture and info might help someone out.

 

I have a problem with new members that just joined and dig up a 20 year old thread to post some random useless crap.

Got absolutely no problem with the thread starter (OP) replying to his old thread no matter how old with pictures and a solution to the problem.