Hi, Thanks for your time. I have a 1982 302 less than a year old in my 53 Customline. I have been running into an issue with the engine having a hard time starting after the car has been running. I have wrapped the starter with a cloth heat shield and no change. The problem does not vary, starts like a champ cold but if i turn the engine off after the engine is warm it trys to start but won't turn over for about 30 sec of holding the key to ON position. The engine sounds like the starter is trying to turn the engine over. My battery is the only thing not swaped out, so I took it to a battery specific shop and they tested it said it was good, battery has 600CCA. Please help... Running out of suggestions localy. Thanks.
So is the engine not turning over or is it turning over but not firing? If the starter isn't turning, I would check your battery cables.
Ckeck the grounds on the negative cable on the block and clean the mounting surfaces for the starter,
The Starter sounds like it is working and works well cold or even after the engine has sat awhile. I think I will try checking all ground straps and connections. I am looking at maybe getting a new battery. what do you fellas think?
No not the Battery I had the Same Problem with my Lincoln/460 I put a Rebuild Starter with the Heat Sheild & No Problem just my 3 cents
I had the same problem with my 429....too much heat in the area from the headers and finned tranny oil cooler. Started real good when cold but if I was running on the highway for a couple of hours, stopped, turn the engine off and then tried to start, would not start due to the heat build-up in the starter. Did the same...wrapped and installed a heat shield but still would not start if the stock starter got too hot. Problem was solved by moving the tranny cooler and installing a hi-torque mini starter, plus opening up the inner fenders at the bottom. Starts without any problems now.
When its hot it wont crank? like you turn the key and nothing happens? Or you turn the key and it cranks but wont start? If nothing is happening you can put a volt meter across the battery and watch for a drop in voltage when you turn the key. ( or turn the lights on and see if they dim when you turn the key) If you turn the key and the battery volts dont drop Id look for a electrical connection problem. If the volts do drop and it wont crank then it might be the starter or cable to the starter. I had a ford that had old battery cables and it wouldnt crank when it was hot, I changed the cables and it fixed it, maybe the same thing?
The battery is the least likely in your case. If it was the battery it would have problems on the first start of the day. Nobody can come up with a simple, one only, problem. That would be only a wild-assed-guess. Immediately after you have held that switch to the on position, 30 seconds sounds like too long for me!, let's try it for maybe 10 seconds, then check for hot cable or cable ends, hot starter solenoid, etc. You have to eliminate, the least costly first. It could be anything. Verify cables and connections. Then take the battery and get it checked. If it's not cables, connections, or battery, Last to take off would be the starter. Then, it could be the starter motor armature dragging, or bad solenoid .
The Starter Bushing goes Bad & shifts the armature slightly when Hot & wont Crank or Cranks slow! justmy 3 cents
I would believe that the bushings are worn in the starter and it is dragging when it is hot. Take along you BFH and the next time it acts up have someone hit the key while you give the starter a good solid hit on the bottom side of the field housing. If the bushings are indeed bad that should bounce the armature off the field and allow it to spin and start the engine and get you home so you can pull the starter and repair or replace it. If not do as Bobby B. B suggested and check each and every connection in both battery cables. I'd still check the cables at any rate especially the ground connection to the block.
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