Section : Starting Problems

won't turn over once engine warmed up

Posted By : Ian Marvell, 20-Dec-2005, 08:42pm

hi all,

i'm having a bit of trouble with my Gt6 Mk2.
The car starts fine and drives ok but when i have driven it from a to b turn of the ignition and try to restart the engine it behaves like the battery is flat { barely turning over } . If i leave it for half an hour it will start again .
Could it be the starter is not disengaging after starting?
Just a thought.
Any help would be great as a 15 minute trip has just take 2 hours.

regards Ian Marvell

Followups :

won't turn over once engine warmed up

Posted By : Colin Lindsay, 21-Dec-2005, 10:09am

Try the starter to solenoid lead (in fact check all your leads) - this sounds like a poor connection made worse by heat expansion from the manifold / exhaust; when hot the connection is poor or touching something to earth the power which should be reaching the starter, when cool everything contracts again to give a better connection.
- won't turn over once engine warmed up
  
  Posted By : Neil Nasralla, 21-Dec-2005, 12:27pm
  
  I have also heard that starter motors can be very susceptible to heat themselves and fail. Once cooled down they will operate normally. Try Colin's suggestion then, if no better, try a new starter notor.
  
  Cheers, Neil
  - won't turn over once engine warmed up
    
    Posted By : Keith Dandridge, 21-Dec-2005, 03:13pm
    
    This sounds awfully like the problem I had with my MkII.
    What exhaust manifold are you running (not a silly question).
    - won't turn over once engine warmed up
      
      Posted By : Ian Marvell, 21-Dec-2005, 06:01pm
      
      thanks for all the advice.
      
      the exhaust manifold is a bog standard one
      
      Ian
      - won't turn over once engine warmed up
        
        Posted By : Geoffrey Griffiths, 22-Dec-2005, 03:57pm
        
        Definitely sounds like your starter motor. I had the same problem after rebuilding my MK1 with a Mk 2 engine. I didn't overhaul the starter motor as it seemed fine until it got hot. Admittedly I was running with a stainless steel sports manifold which reduces clearance to the starter motor and therefore tended to cook anything close. I decided to overhaul the motor but on removal found so much slack in the bearings I decided to change it for a high torque version. Fitting this was not as staightforward as it may seem and if anyone wants some handy tips when doing the conversion let me know and I will post my observations. After fitting the new motor the problem disappeared.
        
        Geoff