[Nick/chevelle/81]

Hi doing a rebuild chevelle S/W 81/350 hot cam engine/headers,new batt 875 amps if cold it cranks regular if warm cranks
slow <positive cable gets realy hot>.
can anyone help me out.
Nick
Chevelle forever

[BstMech]

Check to make sure your timing isn't too far advanced. If not, try a heat shield on your starter. Those are a few of the most common causes.

[waltmail]

This could be a case of the classic " hot start". When running headers close to the position of the starter, this is a common occurence. You can use heat wrap insulation on the headers, try a heat shield bag on the starter or go with a high speed mini starter like a Powermaster unit. I have one of these starters on my 302W in a 65 Falcon Ranchero running Hooker 6901 headers. I went with the starter before I ever put it on the road and have never had a problem. Good Luck

[Jim Nordwall]

I was having the same problem with the 350 in my 1950 Chevy pickup. A new starter did not fix the problem. New battery cables (4 gauge) and a new battery curred the warm start problem.

[mgentry]

If you still have problems try putting the solenoid on the firewal the way ford takes the solenoid out of the heat area, the solnoid will act as a heat sink, I had this problem on 67 pontiac with a 468 and headers did this trick and the problem went away
hope this helps

[tm454]

I thought that on GM cars the solinoid engaged the starter? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

[north76]

Originally posted by tm454
I thought that on GM cars the solinoid engaged the starter? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

They do.. but what i did with my old diesel.
the solnoid was engaging the gear on the starter
(pushing it into the flywheel) but the solnoid wasn't
switching over power to the starter itself.
just a clicking sound. so i used a new generic type
ford solnoid and when the wire going to the solnoid
clicks over, it also clicks over the new solnoid thus sending
power to the starter. to do this was simpling adding
a heavey duty wire formt he positive side on the battery.

another reason i did this is becuase i didn't wanna pay $70
for a new one, and having to take the starter off ment
removing the injector lines and many other high pressure lines.

the good old 1983 mazda diesel runs again..

[lamothe1]

Also check that you have a good ground to the engine. When the engine and starter get hot it draws a lot more amps. I know this is a big problem on the older Vettes.

[scholman]

This is a very common problem with Chevy V-8s. When they get hot they do not want to crank the engine. It has something to do with the heat from the exhaust system raising the resistance of the wire inside the starter which draws more amps which causes more heat and on and on the problem goes.
I tried everything mentioned in this thread but the only thing that fixed the problem in my 76 Sprint was a new Delco starter and solenoid. Everything else sort of fixed the problem for awhile but the "no start condition" would return at THE most wrong moment.

Spend the money and be done with the problem!

Good Luck

[302 Z28]

Get one of the new Delcotron gear drive mini starters.

Vince