Car won't start after heats up

[Irenemtgal]

After started and ran for awhile my 1978, automatic, 350 will sound like it's boiling and won't start until cools off, was told the starter gets too hot

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Does it crank over when you turn the key?

 

[Irenemtgal]

78 not starting

No nothing, interior lights will come on, but until it cools done nothing, had car gone through for short,what a joke we do not have anyone this area that will even work on it

 

[SVO]

I'm not sure what the boiling sound you are hearing, but I had a '78 that, when new, wouldn't turn over when hot. Buddy with a new '78 Pace Car had the same problem. Supposely, at the time, was a common problem with '78's. Dealer ended up replacing the starter solenoid.

There is also available from the aftermarket starter insulation kits to help with heat soak problems. Unusual Activity Detected - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing

Was a embarassing to have a new Corvette with no miles on it that wouldn't crank when hot.

Note - the Unusal Activity Detected note above is a link that should take you to the Summit Racing site to view starter blankets

 

[nashville68bird]

Had the same problem with my '68 Firebird 428.....would not restart after a drive until everything cooled off a bit. Losing patience and trying to crank it would just kill the battery every time. This happened ALL the time for months. The problem is the starter solenoid getting too hot. Two things solved it - bought a REAL BATTERY (RED TOP) and installed a min-starter with shield. Haven't been "stuck" one time since I took those steps. Other Pontiac folks I know have repositioned the starter solenoid away from the engine block with positive results.

 

[Peer81]

I think it's a problem almost every c3 driver with OEM starter faces sooner or later. I think a mini starter or coating the exhaust will be the best solutions. As a red top will improve the cold start amps it doesn't solve the starter problem.

Greetings Peter

 

[Tom Bryant]

I had a '77 C10 with a 350 that did the exact same thing. If you happened to kill the engine at a stop light you were screwed until it sat and cooled for awhile. Although I've heard that the solenoid getting too hot is the problem and a heat shield will fix it, and I don't doubt that in many cases that is correct, my fix was different. The mechanic that I trusted to work on it at the Olds dealer where I worked in the body shop told me that there wasn't enough clearance between the armature and the fields in the starter. When it would get hot, there was basically no clearance so it wouldn't turn. He turned a small amount off of the armature on a lathe to increase the clearance. That starter spun strong after that. I bought a heat shield also but never put it on since it worked perfectly there after. No matter how long I drove it, it would always start right back up instantly.

Tom

 

[Irenemtgal]

78 and starting

The starter and solenoid were replaced sometime back don't remember when- after the car cools off usually starts right up and then there are times kills battery- tried to find heat deflectors for starter and exhaust, part of the exhaust had deflectors on it, pain in the butt