hard starting

[jberkeley]

i have a 350 ci. after engine is warm it has a hard time starting. so far i've installed a remote solenoid, removed headers replaced with stock manifolds, also wrapped the starter. any ideas on where i should go or what i should check next.. thanks guys....

[84slopwaggin]

Have you checked the timing yet?

[piecesparts]

Define hard starting. So far you have told us that you have set up to get your starter to stay cool so that it will turn over. If the truck will crank, then the trouble is not in the starter. If the starter is cranking slow and not turning the motor over when the truck has run for awhile, then your trouble is in the starter itself and it may need replacing.

I would check the timing (especially to see if it is retarded), also what is your performance like, the timing will affect that. Does the motor seem to run hot, if so look at the timng. Have you looked at replacing the coil on the ignition. If it is getting wrm, it may be failing.

[jberkeley]

thanks for the reply, when i say hard starting, i mean after it warms up it will crank very slow and sometimes i hear a grinding noise.. starter has been tested, when running it runs strong.. i do have the truck avenger holley, what a piece of crap....i don't think that is the problem.. the timing is fine... it's only after i drive, if i go to the gas station it starts up normal, it's when i go to lets say the store, then try and start it, that's when i have the problem. any way sorry the the long reply and thanks again for the help..

[84slopwaggin]

Would you care to enlighten us about the Holley Avenger truck carb?

[rcbildr]

What's the condition of the battery cables?

[jberkeley]

if i could find someone to adjust the truck avenger, maybe i'd like it.. i've been to three shops here in nashua nh. and each one made it worse.. i've had it about 1.5 yrs. never worked correctly.... i'll have to change my battery cable, that might be the problem, same cable i had on when i had headers.. thanks for the input....

[Restrorob]

I have seen many of starters drag when hot and not cold on a bench when I was in the auto biz....

[D-Day]

Could also be a hot ignition or sloppy steering wheel not making a good connection; I've had similar problems. Does your steering wheel have any play in it?

[jberkeley]

it seems like the starter drags very slow, the wheel does have play in it, not a lot but some.... thanks for the reply.....

[D-Day]

You might have to adjust the rod that goes from the key to the ignition...sometimes in tilt steering wheels this gets sloppy over the years and doesn't make a good connection. This causes several problems; first, it doesn't always makes a good connection and doesn't turn the engine over strongly enough, plus if the connection goes out during turning over, the engine compression can turn back over the flywheel and grind on the starter teeth. My old flywheel was chewed to hell due to this. And if you don't have all your teeth, this causes a horrible grinding noise.

[piecesparts]

I would say that from what you are telling us, that your starter is dragging to crank the truck over slow. That can be caused by several things. First, is the starter good? Second, is the starter getting hot and then dragging? Third is the starter mounted properly? The comment about the noise, tells me that the starter needs to be mounted with the proper clearances on the shft to the flexplate. If this has been like this for awhile, then the starter is probably in need of replacement, due to the dragging causing wear on it.

It is possible you are experiencing starter "Heat Soak" and the starter is failing due to that. Many use the remote solenoid to help this. I personally put in an aftermarket "Magnetic" high torque starter and that solved my problem. I have had experience iwth rebuilt strters and they don't stand up to header heat influx,well.

[jberkeley]

the first time i heard grinding was when my timing was way off, that problem has been fixed, i guess starter heat soak could be it.. i know chevy's are famous for this problem, my engine is a 78 350.... if i do about 50 miles of driving that's when i have a problem.. i sometimes hear grinding when starting when it's hot.. thanks for the replies....