I took my Z28 for about a 30 minute drive this morning to run some errands and when I went to start it up to go home it started up fine. I backed it out of my parking spot and went about 20 feet and it stalled and wouldn't start. I sit and tried to start it for about 10-15 minutes before finally giving up and calling AAA. While trying to start it I never smelled any gas, so I didn't think I was flooding it. It just clicked. I doubt it's the starter because I just had a new one installed last summer. When I got it home and in the garage I let it sit about 30 minutes and it started right up. When it stalled the service engine soon light came on, so I checked it out and it just kept throwing the "12" code over and over, so I'm not getting any kind of code. It did this a couple of years ago but ran fine ever since. Anybody have any ideas?

 

Mine used to do that all the time, the starter would get heat-soaked, it wouldn't start again for 30-40 minutes sometimes. The starter is subjected to extreme heat because of where it is, practically on top of the exhaust pipe.

 

so it didn't crank right? nothing no sound? if that's the case, as mentioned above it's your starter solenoid getting heat soaked... this is especially true on cars with headers... I had that problem with my bird and ended up wiring an old ford solenoid up by the battery to bypass the starters solenoid... never again have or did I have that problem..

 

It made a clicking noise when I tried to start it. I didn't smell any gas, so I knew it wasn't flooded. I talked to a guy at work today who works on cars and told him what it was doing and he said he thought maybe it might be a battery problem. He said to check the terminals and make sure they're clean and secure. He asked me if I was running anything while I was driving and I told him that I had the vent on. He said that if I had a bad connection or a weak battery that maybe it was drawing power from it. He also said that maybe the alternator could be bad as well. I do go through a lot of batteries. I drive my car from May to Nov and keep it stored from Nov to May and it seems that I always have to put a new battery in it every year when I get it out. Does this sound like a possibility or do you guys still think it could be the starter getting too hot?

 

the clicking noise in its self most of the time leads to a bad battery... when you store your car, do you disconnect the battery? if you don't, you may want to start doing that... also checking the acid/water levels of the battery to make sure they don't get low... on the starter I not so sure anymore, since you say you get a clicking sound...

 

Be sure to check all battery cable connections along with having the battery tested. Battery cables lead a harsh existence and are often overlooked. They can also fail internally, breaking inside the insulation where you cant see it. A volt drop test from one end of the cable to the other, while cranking, will find the break.

 

I've never disconnected the battery when the car is in storage because I like to start it up from time to time and let it run for 10-15 minutes. Every year when I get the car ready for summer the battery is always dead. I hook it up to my charger and it never takes a charge and I end up having to exchange it for a new one. Maybe I'm just getting crap batteries.

Like I said about 15 minutes after getting it towed home it started. It didn't fire up as fast as normal, but it did start. When I got home from work this morning I tried starting it up and it fired up just as fast as it normally does.

 

I checked the cable connections this morning and they're secure with no acid build up and the cables are probably only a year old. I know that doesn't mean they can't be faulty, but they're not the originals. I may throw the charger on the battery for a few hours. I'm also thinking of taking the car to autozone this weekend and having them test the alternator.

 

You should use a trickle charger while you store the car. It will keep the battery conditioned properly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead%E2%80%93acid_battery
Read about the Sulfation.

Check the voltage of the battery before and while starting.

 

Cool. Do check the connections to the block and starter though.

 

I checked out that link you provided and it does make some sense as I do tend to let the car sit for long periods of time without driving it. I've had the car for 4 years and I haven't even put 1,000 miles on it! Even during the summer months I may only get it out once a week. I was a little busier at work this past summer so it was driven even less. How often should I put the charger on the battery while the car is not being used?