Help! Cold Start but no Hot Start

[Sdwalkinshaw]

I just bought a 1962 Vette. Originally a fuelie but now a carb. Its starts cold but then after running a while and turned off, wont start again. It cranks once, then sluggish the second try and then wont turn at all. I have it with mechanic, they completely cleaned the carb, change spark plugs, tested battery...but problem still there.

 

[Hib Halverson]

How was the battery tested?
What is the condition of the battery cables?
What is the condition of the starter?

 

[Tom Bryant]

Welcome to the CAC

Have you tried to jump it when this happens? If it turns easy while jumping that points to the battery. If not then look further down stream. Battery cables can be corroded inside the shielding. Take a good look at them. Bend them around and listen for a crunching sound like it has sand in it. There might not be much wire left. Like Hib said. It could be the starter too. Does it have headers? Heat soak can be a problem with the exhaust being too close to the starter. Could be a weak ground on the starter too.

When It won't crank how long does it have to set before it will crank again?

Tom

 

[Bo Dillingham]

I have the same problem; cold start is great, hot start is not. I have a 65' 327 with tube headers, but the pipes do not APPEAR to be too close to the starter. I will double check everything mentioned above (which I have done before), but if all else is good, is there some kind of heat barrier that might fit between the headers and the starter? If not, has anyone out there fabricated a heat shield for this purpose? did it solve the problem? Do you have any photos?

The most annoying thing about this is that I have to push the car away from gas pumps and wait for it to cool off before I can leave the service station. I do NOT want to leave the car running while gassing up. or paying the bill. It is also embarrassing to have this happen if I stop to talk to a friend, etc. etc.

bodillinc@yahoo.com

 

[c5vetter]

personally thinking heat soak

 

[Bo Dillingham]

O.K., I went on the Internet and read up on heat soak. I am certainly not sure that heat soak is my specific problem, but it might be, or at least a part of it. So...next on the agenda would be a heat shield of some sort; perhaps a curved plate that fits between the starter and the headers? Before I start working on such a thing I thought I should ask if anyone else has done this.

I have found an interesting article on a heat shield that holds the heat in around a turbine, but it is a little too sophisticated for my application (very special materials, etc.). I'm guessing that a barrier between the starter and the tubes that absorbs and sheds heat quickly would be the easiest way to start....any ideas?

 

[LLC5]

How about some diagnosis?

What is the battery voltage before and during the event.

 

[Bo Dillingham]

Since I will be working for the next few days, it will take some time to check the battery (and the alternator as long as I'm at it), but I will post back once I have some more info.
BoDill

 

[Tom Bryant]

I had a '77 C10 350 with a heat soak problem. Sometimes it would stall taking off from a dead stop which was a carb problem I later cured. If it stalled I was screwed until it cooled down some. A mechanic at the Olds dealer I worked at said he could fix that. He disassembled the starter and turned the armature down a few thousands to increase the clearance between the armature and the field windings. Seems as if when hot there was practically zero clearance and it wouldn't turn. I never had a problem again.

Summit, Jegs, ect. has a multitude of starter wraps that are not expensive and are easy to install that will keep the heat off of your starter. Exhaust wraps work too but would require removing the header for ease of install.

 

[navy2kcoupe]

I like the "turn the armature a few thousandths". Field expediency at it's finest.
Since you didn't have the problem anymore, I guess that it worked!
Good for that mechanic.............
Andy

 

[LLC5]

I had a '77 C10 350 with a heat soak problem. Sometimes it would stall taking off from a dead stop which was a carb problem I later cured. If it stalled I was screwed until it cooled down some. A mechanic at the Olds dealer I worked at said he could fix that. He disassembled the starter and turned the armature down a few thousands to increase the clearance between the armature and the field windings. Seems as if when hot there was practically zero clearance and it wouldn't turn. I never had a problem again.

Summit, Jegs, ect. has a multitude of starter wraps that are not expensive and are easy to install that will keep the heat off of your starter. Exhaust wraps work too but would require removing the header for ease of install.

There should never be practically zero clearance between an armature and the field coils. Bad bushings, end plates, or mismatched parts inside the starter. Interesting solution.

Kinda way old school NASCAR.

 

[Bo Dillingham]

Referring to response #9 from Tom Bryant; thank you! I do not have a lot of time today, (I'm working) but I thought I should acknowledge your welcome input. I briefly typed, "Starter Wrap" into the Summit site and found a selection of heat shield types of wraps. Now, among other things, I have some concrete information to work with.

After completing other things mentioned in the previous posts, it is nice to know that a strap-on heat shield is available. Again, I won't be able to do this stuff for a few days, but I'll get back with results. Thanks again!!!!

BoDill

 

[Bo Dillingham]

This is not intended to be my last post on this subject, but just to keep up to date, I had the Vette inspected the other day and had a couple things done while it was in the shop. Since the shop across the street from me, and I'm past 70 years old, I asked the guys to do a couple of simple things for me, like change the oil and check the battery. The battery was weak, so I had them replace it.

Right now, the car seems to be happier, and starts right up, but I want to report back in a week or two and let you know if the problem is really solved, or just less prevalent.

I have NOT yet invested in the Started Wrap mentioned in the earlier posts, bit it will be the next investment if it is necessary.

BoDill

 

[Tom Bryant]

It won't hurt a thing to go ahead and install a starter wrap. A cool starter is a happy starter.

Tom

 

[Bo Dillingham]

Thank you Tom,

I believe that this will be my last post on this subject, as I think it is solved. The car starts up immediately as soon as I turn the key.

My next question WAS going to be about the starter wrap (can it be installed without some other unexpected effects?), but Tom seems to have answered it already (see post above).

Thank you all,

BoDill