starter "heat soak"?

[Mr Buckfast]

Okay, this is the last time I am going to bother this forum with a question on my starter - just wanted feedback on the newest theory offered by a pro - mechanic.

Newer (1,500 miles) rebuilt starter. Once engine runs for a long time and gets good and warm, starter will not engage at all. 2 clicks - coil and solenoid, that's it.

This problem only rears it's head under the above described conditions - cold starts great, and I do not experience the problem on "luke-warm" starts - I guess you could just say "hot" starts.

This is not an intermittent starter issue - it's not about tapping it with a hammer, checking points, etc. THE ISSUE IS HEAT. Give it 30 min to an hour to cool down and it fires right up.

A mechanic's theory is what he called "heat soak" - and that it is related to having a defective starter. He suggests that I send it back to SOR and try and new starter. Problem: If he's wrong according to SOR's test, I'll be the proud father of two starters.

Looking for feedback on this guy's theory so I can get a sense as to how to proceed. THANKS!

 

[beaufort-fj60]

I missed your other thread, so never mind if someone else said this. check the wires, clean the connections with a wire brush. making sure they are connected correctly helps also

 

[VETTE60]

I've had this happen on my small block chevy's with headers, but never on a cruiser. sounds like a bad solenoid. what you can do to test it get a remote starter switch. about $10 at kragen. when it happens, try the starter switch, which basicly bypasses the solenoid, if it then works, it is heat soak or a bad solenoid. like i said, never heard of it on a cruiser. usually it is due to headders heating up the starter, and on a cruiser motor the exhaust is not on the starter side. this should not be a problem on this motor.

 

[Sherm50]

Likewise I have not seen previous thread but be sure you have a big enough battery in terms of amperage out put. I had the same symptoms with a chevy pickup. It left me stranded several times until it cooled off and then would start. I took it to a shop to have the starter replaced, the guy took one look at the battery and suggested I get a proper battery first. I did, he was right.

 

[agent orange]

I would check the wiring to the starter, heak soak has a lot to do with heat increasing resistance in the wire, so if you have bad/old/too small wire, then that could cause heat soak problems too. It kinda makes the wire a ballast resistor of sorts. Also, consider those heat reflective tapes they make for header pipes, that could help protect the starter from heat. Now, im not really sure how it would work for landcruisers, but the usual way to solve starter heat soak in cars is to get a remote starter solenoid and run nice, heavy guage wire to a location that is more removed from engine bay heat. Course it could just be a bum starter solenoid too.

 

[Mr Buckfast]

Thanks

Fellas -
I appreciate the feedback - this gives me a definite sense of what I should be doing this weekend to address the problem. You rock!

 

[cruisertom]

I think your problem is in "rebuilt starter". Buy a new starter and be done. Rebuilt can mean lots of things from just replacing the contacts to just replacing a bad bearing. Some places it means working again and you get stuck with the next component that craps out. Just my experience. Tom