Thread: Electrical Problem ???

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I seem to have an electrical problem. Initial start engine cranks over normally. I can drive the car around for a while (half hour to a couple of hours) with no problems. I shutdown the engine and then try to restart, and the engine barely turns over once and then stops. If I jump start with another car, engine turns over and starts okay or if I wait a half hour engine cranks over and starts okay. I had the battery checked and found it okay. I had the charging system checked and found it okay. I'm thinking it may be the voltage regular and plan to replace it. Any other thoughts of what is going on?

John

Jczar,
A little more information would help the diagnosis process. What engine are we talking about here, and is it an old, high mileage beater or a recently rebuilt engine? Is it stock or modified, and if modified what are the highlights of the build? Have you checked your ground connections? Your starter may just be weak, able to crank the loose cold engine, but unable to overcome the added friction of things heated up. From what you have said I see no reason to suspect the regulator - it's part of the charging system and you say it checks OK. I did have an old, high mileage 348 chevy as a kid and I went through a couple of starters and batteries chasing an identical hot start problem which I later found was being caused by lots of carbon in the rings expanding when hot. It solved itself by breaking a bunch of oil rings on a high rpm romp one night....

There are a couple of things that could be causing your problem. Bad grounds as Roger stated, weak battery, and too small gauge battery cables and/or corroded cable connections.

The engine is a 1973 Ford 351 Cleveland, rebuilt in 2006, bored 30 thousand over. I have about 15,000 miles on it, most highway miles. All connections checked including ground connections and are good. New starter was installed on the rebuild, but replacement is worth a try. Thanks

Could also be contacts in the solenoid on the starter besides what has all ready been posted. I believe you can take apart the solenoid and rotate the contacts. I did that a few times and it can help get a little more out of a starter. This will not make a old starter new though, just get you a little further down the road.

Originally Posted by BigTruckDriver

Could also be contacts in the solenoid on the starter besides what has all ready been posted. I believe you can take apart the solenoid and rotate the contacts. I did that a few times and it can help get a little more out of a starter. This will not make a old starter new though, just get you a little further down the road.

If it's the stock ford solenoid, it's up on the fender well and not service-able, On my cleveland I had to replace the puny factory battery cables with a heavy duty cable. Double O if I remember right... And there is 3 of them! Battery to Ground, Battery to soenoid and then solenoid to starter, a lot of connections, check'em all.