i was starnded yesterday for 30 mins. it wouldnt crank at all. checked the battery post. everything was tight. battery is good, alternator is good. so i went down on the floor,grabbed a wrench, smacked the started. still nothing. i couldnt realy smack it that hard.(it was low and it was night) but 30 mins later. it just started right up. any idea? how do i test the starter if its working now?

 

Do you have headers? They might be making the starter solenoid overheat. The car would start when it eventually cools down.

 

Even without headers, the solenoid on the stock-style starter will still heat soak and do that.

 

no headers.

 

so most like likely its the solenoid? starter?

 

id change them both at once & be done. but you can pull the starter & bench test it or just take it to the local parts store & have them test it.

 

My 1991 RS (crate 350) is doing the same thing and I have headers. The catch with mine is it will try to turn over (when cold) for about 10 seconds before it catches. And if it's cold, it will always take close to 10 seconds. Though initially, it used to start right up but the last few weeks it's been like that.

However, once it has been warmed up, it will not start period for at least 10 minutes. Unless I'm near a hill and can get a good speed to pop the clutch (slower doesn't do it when it's hot in this situation).

Also, and hopefully related, if I drive the car for more than an hour or so, it will try to die every few minutes / miles. When it does die, if I turn the key totally off and coast in neutral, I can wait a few seconds and then pop it from 5th gear. It then restarts and I am good for another few minutes.

Someone suggested the starter could be going bad. I didn't know the starter controlled all of those functions listed above. Any suggestions?

 

They're going to test it cold, which is when it works.