my &%*&^$ car won't start AGAIN.....

Is the starter on the passenger side of your engine? If it is, a heat shield for a Chevy should go on it with little or no modifications.

LP

 

Switchblade, next time it won't start, take a screwdriver and jump from the small selanoid terminal to the big starter terminal. This will eliminate all the wiring. Be careful not to arc to anything else that grounds. If it starts, you could have a bad connection or switch. I think your Poncho starter would be pretty much like a Chevy. Look at a Camaro site like Rick's for the starter shield. I got one from them for my BB.

 

starter is on the drivers side, I thought maybe some of that heat sheild wrap/tape might do the trick?

 

Sounds like the old GM hot start problem to me. electrical components don't like to work when they're hot, so your starter needs more amperage to work properly.

When you replace your battery cables, get some welding cable (the kind they use for stick welders) and make your own. The welding cable has a zillion tiny filaments and will carry more amperage than a typical battery cable will.

I had the hot start problem and replaced all of my cables with the welding stuff and haven't had a starting problem for years.

 

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maybe that's what I need, the ballast resistor. I dunno what the hell that is so that's probaly it. What should it look like, and if theres not one what should I get to put on it? Remember it's advance auto I work at so hopefully it'll be something we carry...

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anybody remember the "good ol dayZ" when the "parts guy" knew any part for an old car off the top of his head, when anything with computers or injection was foreign to them? geez, i'm only almost 30 and i feel old.

 

Put a remote solenoid on it! The 389 in my dad's bonneville used to do the same thing all the time. We replaced the starter solenoid like three times before we put on a remote solenoid. Never had the problem again and it's been like 8 years.

 

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starter is on the drivers side, I thought maybe some of that heat sheild wrap/tape might do the trick?

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It sure sounds like an overheated solenoid to me.

If it doesn't have to be pretty and you need it quick, do the old soup can trick. Cut a soup can in half lengthwise, put aninch or so of foam insulation inside, secure it around the starter with wire ties or tape.

If you want it to be pretty, there are some good ones available from the GM dealer or the places that sell SBC race parts.

Big Daddy Eric

 

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If it doesn't have to be pretty and you need it quick, do the old soup can trick. Cut a soup can in half lengthwise, put aninch or so of foam insulation inside, secure it around the starter with wire ties or tape

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Another thing I have done is get some good insulation and wrap the actual exhaust where it is close to the starter.
I have used regular muffler clamps to hold it on.
When it doesn't start try slightly hitting it with a hammer or as mentioned before, cold water. Sounds to me like heatsoak. Summit sells those heat shields for this application. Had this problem for years on the 350 in my 50. Tried everything. Stupid dummy never even adjusted the timing cause the engine ran like a*****d ape. The timing adjustment cured the problem. Duh

 

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Ballast resistors do not have anything to do with the starting system. They are used to restrict the current flow to the points in the distributor.

LP

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Not to mention you would want to make sure you didn't already have a factory resistance wire (spaghetti wire)in the curcuit already, before ya put in a ballast type. For future ref. Ditto, good tips LP

Cheers J_LO

 

I'm picking up a remote soelnoid when I go into work, already got a couple of part numbers and everything. Thanks for the info, now i just need to save up the money to have the exhaust redone, and re-do the wiring and the car should be damn near perfect. thanks.-J

 

I had the same problem with the 400 pontiac engine in my 79 Ford shortbox. I got so sick of opening the hood and crossing the solenoid with a screwdriver, I installed a simple momentary toggle switch in the purple wire, wired directly to the + battery connection. It was mounted under the dash and when the ignition switch wouldn't cooperate, I'd simply hit the toggle switch. Damn ford ignition switches!
When you put new ends on your cables, did you crimp them on or solder them on? If they're crimped, you're gonna have problems. It's so easy to solder them by taking the cable loose from it's connection, turning it so the eyelet is pointing down. Heat it up with a hand-held propane torch and run rosin core solder down into the connection. Keep feeding the solder into the crimped connection until it runs out. Let it cool and do both ends of the positive and both ends of the negative cables in this manner. NO CRIMPED-ON OR BOLT-ON CONNECTIONS ON ANY BATTERY CABLES!!!!!!!!

 

Just a quick tale of what happen to me on a later model chev truck. I put a rebuilt starter in it and would heat up from headers and would not conduct until cool bought it at autozone. I never had this problem with old starter, I talked with a guy that rebuilds these things he said alot of parts internal arent the same as US product. Some rebuilders use foreign made products such as aluminun wound solenoids very sensitive to heat when headers or close exhaust is used, also when faulty ground causes the starter to heat up guess what no contact.... Made sense to me, a buddy of mine had an old starter, I removed just the solenoid and used it guess what no more problem. Since then I use mini high torque starter never have any no problems on anything with headers