Recurring Starter Issues

[Ed89]

I have an '89 vet automatic coup, with a recurring starting problem. Last year I replaced the starter and starter relay and all seemed fine for the season. This year the problem has come back again. I can start her cold in the morning and make it to work and the same coming back but I can not stop in between.

When the engine gets hot after about a thirty minutes of driving and turn her off to run in to a store and come back she will not start, all of the lights come on on the dash no crank, I can here the starter relay click be hind the dash. So my fix is to wait about an hour or so until she cools down and after that period she'll start right up as if nothing happened and I'm on my way.

I think I have a heat soak issue with the starter solenoid, my next move is to put in a heat shield or blanket around the starter. Is this a common problem with this year vet?

[LLC5]

I would make sure you have voltage to the starter during cranking. If so, then make sure you have a high temp solenoid installed on the starter, a heat shield would be a good idea also.

[c4c5specialist]

Hi there,

Also, make sure your battery terminals are correctly torqued to 11 ft lbs.

Allthebest, c4c5

[Ed89]

I have torque the battery terminals to 11ft lbs. and checked voltage at the starter with a multimeter showing 12 volts at the starter and when I turned the key I got 3 volts? What the @#$% I think I got a short possible key cylinder replacement, ant thoughts?.

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,

Is that the purple wire, and if so, that is not enough.

So, I would be tracing the purple wire.

Neutral safety switch or starter relay could be the culprit.

Allthebest, c4c5

[Ed89]

Thanks for the speed response! Red wire to the small terminal and large black and small purple wire to the large terminal on the starter. I have already replaced the starter relay, I'll try the safety neutral switch, Thanks Paul

[LLC5]

Originally Posted by Ed89

I have torque the battery terminals to 11ft lbs. and checked voltage at the starter with a multimeter showing 12 volts at the starter and when I turned the key I got 3 volts? What the @#$% I think I got a short possible key cylinder replacement, ant thoughts?.

Which wire had 3v on it during cranking, all of them including the cable to the battery, or just one? If just one wire had the 3v on it, which one was it?

[Ed89]

Working alone I ran jumpers from each terminal to the multimeter and turned the key.

[Ed89]

Both terminals at the same time, read 12v. Turning the key gave me 3v.

[LLC5]

Originally Posted by Ed89

Both terminals at the same time, read 12v. Turning the key gave me 3v.

If you have 3v on the large battery cable post at the starter you need to be checking for a voltage drop or a bad/discharged battery.