It finally happened to me!

[IrishJoker]

I took the 81 out for a drive on Sunday heading to a classic car picnic at friend's house out in the country. To get there I took I-70 west, cruising at around 68 mph. I stopped at a rest stop, and when I came back to fire her up, nada, nothing no kick-over of the starter. I had power - all the lights on the dash came on, park brake, engine warning light, in other words all the idiot lights.
Here's the deal and SIXFOOTER knows this story well cause he gave me a lot of assistance when I replaced, the starter and alternator. Everything is solid all connections, grounding points, wires on the alternator etc. If there was ever a "HEAT SHIELD" on this starter it was long gone before I replaced the starter with the new one. I watch all my gauges and when I drive just on the look out for any tail-tails of problems - the BAT gauge said she was getting 13+ volts back to the battery.
My question is this - is there, or was there ever a heat shield around the original starter/solenoid? If so where can I get one?
I let the car cool down and guess what? She fired right up. I am now firmly in the camp of "over heating" which causes the solenoid not to work until it cools down.
I know I am not the first to experience this problem - how many more of you out there are?

 

[GerryLP]

.... I am now firmly in the camp of "over heating" which causes the solenoid not to work until it cools down.
I know I am not the first to experience this problem - how many more of you out there are?

I believe that heat does reveal the problem; however, I also believe that it has to do with a marginal starter.

I took my original starter to Autozone for testing about 2 years ago, and I was totally convinced that the heat effect was causing the starter to drain my battery. In the middle of all this, I could not believe that my original starter had lasted this long, but finally during the check on the bench tester, the test revealed that it required nearly twice the amount of amps to turn the starter. The starter turned fine on the test bench, but the amount of juice it took was above of what the electrical system could support.

Charlie, I also have had the reverse problem you had. My Vette would intermittently keep running even after turning the ignition switch off. I replaced the ignition switch, and the problem was solved. Just f.y.i...

 

[IrishJoker]

OK, let's say it is a marginal Starter - what really bites me is that I just put this Starter on a month ago. It's a pain in the butt to mount even though it's quite accessible. I can get it off by myself but holding the shims in place and trying to hold it up in place and start the bolts is not possible. I tired for an hour and gave up. Not many of my buddies like working on cars, I'm divorced and my son is grown and gone. So that leaves me. But if it's gotta be replaced I better do it now while it's still under warranty. Guess I will just have to pribe the last guy that help again with beer to lend a couple of strong arms to hold it up while I install the bolts.

There is just NO quality left in workmanship of manufactured products. You can't even trust NAPA parts anymore.

 

[GerryLP]

Do you have a header set-up? Some headers do radiate a lot of heat, but with my stock set-up (L81), I have not had problems.

 

[IrishJoker]

Do you have a header set-up? Some headers do radiate a lot of heat, but with my stock set-up (L81), I have not had problems.

Nope just the stock set-up - I wish it had NOT happened to me - need a heat shield - just gotta find the right one that will fit. Jeg and Summit seem to have quite a few to buy - I just don't wanna crawl back under there again anytime soon.

 

[big2bird]

Nope just the stock set-up - I wish it had NOT happened to me - need a heat shield - just gotta find the right one that will fit. Jeg and Summit seem to have quite a few to buy - I just don't wanna crawl back under there again anytime soon.

The starter brace has a small shield between the manifold and solenoid. However, the main root of the problem is the solenoid. Replace it with a Delco unit. Should solve it.

 

[IrishJoker]

The starter brace has a small shield between the manifold and solenoid. However, the main root of the problem is the solenoid. Replace it with a Delco unit. Should solve it.

The Whole thing is a Delco Remy starter/solenoid.

 

[big2bird]

The Whole thing is a Delco Remy starter/solenoid.

I would still change the solenoid again.

 

[Sensei]

I have had several starters do this very soon after instalation. I do have headers and the exhaust comes close to the starter. I finally seem to have fixed the problem once and for all with a moderately priced mini starter from Skip White on E-bay. God bless, Sensei