Hot Starting Problem

[simontink]

Been having a hot starting problem for some time now. The car starts from cold or warm perfectly 100% of the time. The problem arises after a decent run in hot weather, switching off the ignition and then returning soon after 10mins - 1 hour. I attempt to restart and get nothing, starter motor not turning over at all. I attempted to bypass the starter inhibitor with a piece of wire between the terminals but still nothing. This happened yesterday at petrol station sat there with bonnet up for 1 1/2 hours for engine to completely cool and then engine turned over and started perfectly. I have a high torque starter motor fitted that I hoped would resolve this problem once and for all but to no avail. I'm guessing that this must be a wiring issue but not sure where to start looking or how to test for problems. Would any testing of the wiring still show a problem now that the engine is cool ? Or any alternative ideas ?

[wilf]

HT coil heat soak.

To prove it, get a spare, connect it in when it next refuses to start.

Betchya.

[martin]

I'm with Wilf (scary I know) even owning a Stag you must have at least one friend ? Nice cheap test. Martin.

[stag157.7]

Been having a hot starting problem for some time now. The car starts from cold or warm perfectly 100% of the time. The problem arises after a decent run in hot weather, switching off the ignition and then returning soon after 10mins - 1 hour.at all. I attempted to bypass the starter inhibitor with a piece of wire between the terminals but still nothing. This happened yesterday at petrol station sat there with bonnet up for 1 1/2 hours for engine to completely cool and then engine turned over and started perfectly. I have a high torque starter motor fitted that I hoped would resolve this problem once and for all but to no avail. I'm guessing that this must be a wiring issue but not sure where to start looking or how to test for problems. Would any testing of the wiring still show a problem now that the engine is cool ? Or any alternative ideas ?

I attempt to restart and get nothing, starter motor not turning over

sounds like voltage drop when hot

normally would indicate bad engine earth strap


alan

[simontink]

Hot Starting

I attempt to restart and get nothing, starter motor not turning over

sounds like voltage drop when hot

normally would indicate bad engine earth strap


alan

Thanks for that Alan. I'll have a look at that today. Am i right in thinking that if the coil was faulty the starter motor would still turn over ?

[milothedog]

Yes it should turn over irrespective of what the coil is doing. When you start from cold check to see if the choke and throttle cables are getting hot, this is another sign you have a poor earth on the engine.

Ian

[wilf]

That'll teach me to read posts properly before answering. I blame the hot weather lol. Still with me Martin?

Isn't this also possibly an example of the "click"? So fit the starter relay conversion?

[Dieter H. Marschall]

Hello,

In may case it was a "tired" ignition coil, too.

Good luck!
Dieter.

[milothedog]

That'll teach me to read posts properly before answering. I blame the hot weather lol. Still with me Martin?

Isn't this also possibly an example of the "click"? So fit the starter relay conversion?

Could be

[simontink]

OK. First job done. I've removed the earth strap completely, removed the paint around the bolt on the wheel arch, back to bare metal, and refitted and tightened all 3 connections, to the battery, to the wheel arch and to the alternator bracket ( don't know if it's supposed to go there ) all connections seems nice and tight now so fingers crossed.determined to get this sorted once and for all. Fed up of every time the sun comes out having this problem

[milothedog]

OK. First job done. I've removed the earth strap completely, removed the paint around the bolt on the wheel arch, back to bare metal, and refitted and tightened all 3 connections, to the battery, to the wheel arch and to the alternator bracket ( don't know if it's supposed to go there ) all connections seems nice and tight now so fingers crossed.determined to get this sorted once and for all. Fed up of every time the sun comes out having this problem

If it happens again and if you have some jump leads, try putting a lead from the engine to the Neg terminal on the battery and try and start it.

Ian

[Mike Stevens]

What do the ignition lights do when it won't crank? Dim a bit, or not change? If no change, then the starter is not even trying to draw current. If the solenoid was operating, then you'd hear a click from it.

A complete failure with temperature (that sorts itself when cool) doesn't sound like earth strap to me. That would more likely give a slow turning starter rather than none at all. It sounds much more like a connector issue to me.

The only real way to sort it is to get underneath with a meter and trace where the volts are and aren't when trying to crank the engine. Of course this is when it's all going to be hot! Ideally this is on a lift or ramps, with the wheels securely chocked.

Cheers,
Mike.

[simontink]

Hot Starting

What do the ignition lights do when it won't crank? Dim a bit, or not change? If no change, then the starter is not even trying to draw current. If the solenoid was operating, then you'd hear a click from it.

A complete failure with temperature (that sorts itself when cool) doesn't sound like earth strap to me. That would more likely give a slow turning starter rather than none at all. It sounds much more like a connector issue to me.

The only real way to sort it is to get underneath with a meter and trace where the volts are and aren't when trying to crank the engine. Of course this is when it's all going to be hot! Ideally this is on a lift or ramps, with the wheels securely chocked.

Cheers,
Mike.

The ignition lights dim. When you talk about a connector issue, which connector is most likely to be at fault. Unfortunately I don't have any voltage testing gear and wouldn't know how or what to test for to be honest. With this being a modern high torque motor If i remember rightly one of the wires going to the starter was no longer needed. I think it was the one leading to the coil. I think I only have 2 cables at the starter, one going to the battery and one going to the ignition switch. The big one going to the battery seems tight so this should only leave the one
going to the ignition switch ( with the inhibitor inbetween which i bypassed with no success) as the main culprit ? Although would a bad connection at the switch be affected by heat ?

Thanks
Simon

[simontink]

Finally sorted it ( hopefully ) The things I tried without success were checking the battery earth, checking the battery to starter cable, bridging the gearbox inhibitor, but it turned out to be a frayed wire from the inhibitor to the starter. New cable and terminals from Halfords. Job done !