58mark

iTrader: (3)

Ok this is strange

Twice in the last two weeks I've been in heavy traffic with a hot car, and then shut off the car when I got to my destination. After a few minutes I got back in the car to leave, and it wouldn't start. Starter doesn't turn at all, but the guages do move when the key is turned. It's acting like it would if you tried to start the car without pushing the clutch in.

both times I let the car sit for 10 minutes, and it started up and I drove it home. the car has never done this while cold or in normal driving, only heavy traffic

I've changed the starter, the clutch safety switch and the VATS relay. I'm running out of ideas, anybody got anymore?

usc iroc

My car did the same thing...I'd climb under it and beat the starter and after about 10 mins it would run. Well it happened at my brother in laws shop one day and when he got in the car he bumped the steering wheel it tried to start. Long story short it had nothing to do with the starter, it was a wire in the steering column that had a bad spot. I beat the crap out of my starter many days and the only reason it would start is I would unknowingly hit the steering wheel which would cause it to start. Anyway...its a long shot but shake the steering wheel and see what happens

58mark

iTrader: (3)

next time it does it I'll be more than happy to beat the crap out of it

Honestly I have another steering column. Been looking for a reason to install it, maybe this is a good reason

usc iroc

I know how crazy it sounds and if it didn't happen to me id be thinking I was . Hope it works out man....I hate chasing ghost!!

58mark

iTrader: (3)

Monday bump in case anybody else has any other suggestions.

I'm wondering if something could be overheating the starter, and that's why it works again after 10-15 minutes

NCC-2569

iTrader: (1)

Perhaps the starter does not return to its correct position after starting and is continually turning while the engine is running.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

This. Try heat wrap around the starter, i believe DEI sells a wrap velco type shield for starters. Isolate heat from the headers and motor from the starter solenoid and it shouldnt have a problem again

My92camaro

I had the same problem and it ended up just being the security chip on the key was bad, I got a new set and it started working perfect again. I'd go to a GM dealership and get the key tested.

58mark

iTrader: (3)

Tried multiple keys, it didn't help at all

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

Does it ever click then nothing? This sounds a lot like a loose connection. It would be something to try before replacing the starter. Pull the heavy gauge cable off and clean up the connection, make sure it's tight and you can't wiggle it by hand, and do the same for the engine block ground too.

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

Nvm, didn't read it all. If you replaced the starter, you probably checked the connection. I know when my starter was getting heat soaked, it would sound like a dead battery.

tbarneski

Something else to think of would be, if you have tilt steering sometimes they will get loose and "wiggl" around causing the slider that activates the ignition to come out of adjustment. So when you turn the key to the start position it does not make contact. But if you are like me and try to take the cheap way out and get a used starter from the junk yard...or a reman starter from the parts store then I would suspect a faulty starter.

58mark

iTrader: (3)

No tilt...

Here. Is what the car does. Picture what happens when you try to start a car without the clutch in. The needles on the dash move, but that's it. No click, no nothing, until it cools down

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

Well I guess the first thing to do would be to isolate which part of the circuit is causing the problems. If (when the problem is occurring) you can jump the solenoid with a pair of screwdrivers, and it will start, then you have a problem with the ignition switch or neutral safety switch or something. If it still doesn't crank you have another bad starter or a bad connection somewhere or maybe even a bad battery cable.

Beef

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like heat soak. Have headers on it? Its not nearly as likely with stock manifolds. Spend $15-25 on a shield or wrap, see what happens.

58mark

iTrader: (3)

100% stock 2.8 v6

So far it's never been down for more than 10-15 minutes, and I haven't tried idling the car for 30 minutes or more trying to replicate the no start condition. It makes it hard to get under the car and test anything if it always happens when it's least convenient.

I'm going to get under there and check the connections for the starter before I drive it again, and if I can't find anything loose, I'm going to exchange the starter for a different one, and put some kind of heat shield on it while it's off the car. There almost has to be something wrong with it that makes it more likely to have this problem than most starters under these conditions, even though it's only a couple of years old

tbarneski

My opinion....these cars no matter the engine size have little room in the engine compartment and with a few flaws working together it makes it point right at a faulty starter. My opinion...flaw one : exhaust "y" pipe way too close to starter (heat)..flaw two...engine sits to close to firewall so they put heat padding that reflects the heat from the engine and exhaust back towards the engine/starter (heat). Flaw three...they started making almost all the Chevrolet starters fit various applications which is why you get "shims" with a new or remanufactured starter. Usually the clocking of the starter would be the only difference between them, so it would only stand to reason that if you want your Chevrolet starter to last then buy a brand new starter not a remanufactured and wrap it with a heat shield to prevent the inner windings from swelling and preventing it from working properly until it cools down.

58mark

iTrader: (3)

thanks for the help. I just ordered trhe DEI heat shield, hopefully that does the trick

W.E.G.

Eric says...


...and more

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

Dei doesn't tell you, but the heat shields are conductive! Tape up the hot lug on the starter before wrapping it up! The front side is metallic, and the inside isn't supposed to be, but somehow I ended up with an intermittent short that actually caused a little bit of smoldering and smoke at one point!

58mark

iTrader: (3)

wow. thanks... that really sucks!

58mark

iTrader: (3)

I couldn't get the heat shield on with the starter in place, so just today I replaced the starter and installed the heat shield while I had it all apart

There isn't a lot of room in there. The heat shield made it a lot harder to install the starter, but using a long screwdriver to line up the holes, I eventually got it

Hopefully this works. the car didn't give me problems often and never left me stranded, but when it wouldn't start it always made me nervous and it was an inconvenience

antares57

iTrader: (8)

My '88 Firebird did this to me when I first got it. Thought it was the aftermarket security system at first. Changed out the stater and installed a heat shield and it hasn't done this in the past year since. Good luck.

58mark

iTrader: (3)

well you warned me... I don't know if this caused the problem, but I have a PROBLEM
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...e-battery.html

58mark

iTrader: (3)

Problem wasn't the shield after all. got it fixed