First post just looking for suggestions

[Thad60]

I have a 72' c10 LWB I'm going to post what I have in the motor and I'm just looking for any suggestions to get my truck at maximum performance. It's a built 406 with trick flow aluminum heads, victor jr aluminum intake, Keith black hypertectic pistons, aluminum roller rockers, comp solid flat tappet cam .525 lift, summit racing distributor with summit box, master blaster coil, 140gph Holley fuel pump, 11.7:1 ratio. It's tubbed in the rear with 31x12.5-15 Hoosiers, Holley 750 double pump carb. I have not run it on dyno or track yet. And the major problem I having right now is after I run it for about 5-10 miles and park it I go to start it back up and it won't fire. I bought a new mini high torque starter and it turns it great.

[hugger6933]

Welcome to the site, did you run the diagnostics on the ignition box? There is the place to start looking.

[Zeke's Garage]

Hey, welcome!

So, does it start back up after a cool-down period? When you say it doesn't fire, have you verified a no spark condition, or just not starting?

I'm not familiar with that distributor, does it have an ignition module in it or is it just a trigger for the box?

[Thad60]

No I have not run the diagnostics on the ignition box. And no it's not a no spark condition. It'll act like the starter isn't strong enough or the battery has died. For instance drove it 15 min to my wife's parents last night, it sat for a while maybe hr I went outside to start it for her dad and the starter wouldn't turn the flex plate. We checked voltage to the starter and then the battery and I had 12.56 volts. We went inside and came back out 20 min later and it fired right up. I drove it home same route parked it Went inside for 30 min came back out and it started right up. Before I left for work I went outside and it started right up as well. I can't quite pinpoint what it is that keeps leaving me stranded but only every now and then sometimes I can drive it and it'll be just fine

[Grumpy old man]

Sounds like a timing issue ,I've had that same problem before when setting to specs then I set it up by ear and the issues were gone .wouldn't start when hot worked great when it cooled off for 30 minutes. Some engines when built on the high end have a very fine line of where they are happy

[67 chevelle]

sounds like a starter heat sink issue , very common for engines with headers

[NTIMID8R]

Mine acted like that. It was like the battery or the starter was weak or timing was off. When hot it always acted like that, when cooled down, it would start right up. Turned out the pos. battery cable was burned up. Morale of the story, make sure your battery cables are in tip top shape.

[Thad60]

Yea I bought a wrap for my starter hoping the issue would go away but it has not. And as far as the timing goes I think it's set at 18 and then when accelerated it stops rising at 34. Should I drop that down some to help with the start?

[Zeke's Garage]

I would try taking a few degrees out of the initial timing so see if that helps when it's hot. If you need more total advance, then you can add it in on the top end.

Also check your battery cables on both ends, and all the grounds.. Even with bad or corroded cables, you'll get a good voltage reading but the bad cables will have so much resistance that they won't be able to pull enough amperage to start a hot engine with a lot of initial timing.

[tdangle]

From what I remember chevy had a problem like this in the early 70's. Something to do with heat affecting the battery cables/starter. I think they rerouted the battery cable to be further away from the exhaust and put a heat shield at the starter.

[Boog]

There are numerous threads pertaining to hot start issues in these forums. As mentioned above heat sink on cables and starters are most common causes. Some use a ford solenoid kit to help.
Use the search button above and type in hot start problem and you should get some results.

[Thad60]

Thanks for all the quick responses. Another idea I was thinking I could do was put a kill switch in and as I've been told without the power to the distributor the starter will turn easier without the spark. So leave kill switch off, get it turning real good and then turn on kill switch? Sends spark and bam fires right up?? Any thoughts to this?

[NTIMID8R]

your better off finding the cause and fixing it, or you could create a whole other issue with your wiring (or truck) burned up.

[Grumpy old man]

Remember your dealing with 1972 technology there are not a lot of secret hidden tricks ,it's just advanced too far , Back the timing off a bit and see how it works for you .

[Thad60]

That's the plan for tomorrow morning I'll update tomorrow night and see what's up.

[Thad60]

Ok so original timing at idle read 34 and when I ripped it up it read 37 I turned it down to where at idle it reads 25 and revved up it reads 28 I haven't had the starting issue yet but I'm wandering if where my timing is set at is fine I thought I read something that at idle is should be at 16? And then I would have to turn my idle up? Is what I'm at fine?