I just want you guys to know that I now hate my thirdgen because of this non starting problem, I have completely lost hope and I am going to store it this winter and try to sell it in the spring but I'm looking at a great loss all for what? 280 - 300 hp for two years? Not worth the $10,000 I sunk into it.

PapeDawg

 

Sorry to hear that, man. Anything I can do?

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If you live in Southeastern US, check us out!
South East Thirdgen


ASE Master Tech + L1
Savannah, GA

'87 Trans Am
S/D TPI retrofit including functional PassKey,
22# injectors,
Ported Plenum,
TB Coolant Bypass,
SSM SFC,
Boxed LCAs,
8mm Accel wires,
Flowmaster Exhaust,
16" GTA rims,
Corvette Servo,
KYB Shocks

'97 Bonneville SSE

 

Hey GMTech, maybe you can help me.
When I drive for a while (especially when I floor it a couple of times) and the engine gets to normal operating temp. (not necessarily very hot); as soon as I shut it down it does not want to start back up. If I try to start it, nothing happens, and when I say nothing I mean it doesn't even crank up or make a sound. The pump runs and the only thing I can hear is a relay or something clicking in the engine compartment. but the starter does not make a sound. The condition seems to go away after about 45 mins and sometimes even more.
The only thing I can do to get it running after this has happened is to lift the hood, look for the 2 fat wires in the wire maze on top of the brakes booster and hot-wire it with a paper clip (one wire is red and the other one purple or violet, I'm not an expert when it comes to colors).
My mechanic told me it could be the starter, but how if it starts after I hot-wire the thing? Then I took it to Pep Boys, and the crackheads over there told me that because I have headers it won't start, which I know is bull because it has always done this, since I bought the car in '93, stock with 54 000 miles.
My brother has a '89 chevy truck, 350 TBI and it used to do the same; they changed something I believe in the steering column and it hasn't happened again.
Can you please help on this subject? As you can imagine, this is very embarrasing and I can barely drive the car before it quits on me.
Thanks for your attention, Rick

Ps: notice I DIDN'T say the car dies when it's running, it just doesn't want to start after I shut it down.

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'88 GTA 350
Headers, catback, free mods, Xtreme energy cam, and intake pieces
13.51@104.27, but can run better as it is.

I just put a new 2100-2300 RPM TQ Converter. I hope a 13.20 or better

RAPTOR, the baddest bird on the planet
AIM HIGH!

 

can anyone help on this subject?

 

Sounds like the good ol' traditional heat soak problem. This topic comes up quite often on the boards. For some reason on our cars, when the engine heats up and the heat is transfered to the starter, it causes the starter to basically die for a while. I'm not really sure why, someone else might know for sure. The solutions I have heard include using certain brand starters and making a heatshield for the starter. Hope this helps.

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Riccioli Performance Motorworks

--RPM Racing--

-Currently building first ever engine. 383 with Super Ram plenum and runners, Edelbrock lower intake, Bosch 24# injectors, either AFR or Trick Flow heads, MSD ignition.
-Will be installing Baer Brakes
-Will be installing full Spohn suspension in rear
-Art Carr 700R4 trans??

 

Hmmm, I wouldn't think that is the starter, since it can be "hot wired" to start. I am not sure where you are jumpering these wires above the brake booster, but the purple is the "crank" signal for the starter and by supplying 12V (red) wire, you are activating the starter. All I can say is when it won't crank, trace that purple wire up to the ignition switch. That may even be what it is. As long the car is running, the ignition switch is on and building up heat. Heat = resistance. But like I said, trace it back, it may be something else. Good luck.

------------------
If you live in Southeastern US, check us out!
South East Thirdgen


ASE Master Tech + L1
Savannah, GA

'87 Trans Am
S/D TPI retrofit including functional PassKey,
22# injectors,
Ported Plenum,
TB Coolant Bypass,
SSM SFC,
Boxed LCAs,
8mm Accel wires,
Flowmaster Exhaust,
16" GTA rims,
Corvette Servo,
KYB Shocks

'97 Bonneville SSE

 

All I can say is when it won't crank, trace that purple wire up to the ignition switch. That may even be what it is. As long the car is running, the ignition switch is on and building up heat. Heat = resistance. But like I said, trace it back, it may be something else. Good luck.

Is there anything else in between this purple wire and the ignition switch? Like I said in my first post, my brother had the same problem in his '89 chevy P/U and his mechanic replaced something in the steering column, but he doesn't know if it was the ing. switch or something else.