starter wont turn motor when hot

[Knebel]

So, i have a new starter installed because i had an issue that when the car is hot and sits for a while to heatsoak, the starter wouldnt turn the engine. It would just....turn a little and then stop but not disengage.

Installed a new mini starter, everything fine for a while, cold crank, hot crank, like nothing.

Now the problem is back. I havem measured the charging system back and forth and do get almost 14volts on the battery. My ammeter also shows positive when driving and just pegs around a bit at idle.

Now, i started the car cold, no problemo, drove 5miles, waited 20minutes, wanted to restart, nothing. Starter engages but turns only a tiny bit and then stops. Tried it 2, 3 times and then it started klicking like a dead battery. I have a battery jumper pack which i conne ted and the car instantly started. No problem whatsoever. Then i drove another 5miles home. Parked and tried restarting instantly. Nothing, starter engages, turns 1/4 turn and then wont move. Try it 2 times and it klicks like a dead battery. I measured the battery and it was 11.88vokt between the posts.

Is that my battery being dead? Or is my brand new starter toast? I cant imagine its not charging the battery but you never know. Everything indicates its charging just fine.

 

[Knebel]

Geez, sorry for the typos, im typing on a tablet and thats not my thing.... i still have a warranty on the battery, shoukd i just return it for a new one?

 

[Knebel]

One thing i remember is that when i started it yesterday, the starter turned the motor and it did this weird.... stop grunt whatever right before it fired up. So, it turned, crank crank crank...stop, fire.

I remember the old starter doing this too right before it would stop turning the engine and i could only start it with a jump.


Edit: so now after cooling down for a bit, the starter turned the engine once and then same thing happened. After another attempt the battery is back to 11.8v.Now, i got it jumped and it it started the motor fine so i dont think the starter heatsoaks and wont crank. Idling i measure a maintained 12.5 to 12.7v at the battery. It does not seem to go down in volts while idling. At the alternator stud I measure 13 to 13.9v. It fluctuates a little but 13v is lowest at idle. The fluctuation actually goes hand in hand with the ammeter pegging back and forth at idle (always done that, even with old alternator). So now im curious, if the alternator puts out 13.5volt at idle, why wont this arrive at the battery?

 

[Wollfen]

I have had a imilar situation and my distributor was loose making it way too far advanced causing it to fire a little too soon and causing the engine to stop itself from running. I would say check your timing as a possibility.

 

[Knebel]

Well yes. I purposely didnt mention my timing. The car ran fine for two years with the same initial timing and it starts right up when jumped. That was actually number 1 on my list to check, even when my old starter would not turn it anymore, i retarded the timing very much and still the same. Dizzy is tight tho. I get 12.9v at the blue fld wire on the regulator and 8 to 9v on the green one to/from the alternator to the regulator.

 

[Mr C]

When running a healthy charging system should be measuring @ 14.5 Volts at the posts. How's your regulator and wiring?

Once I had a bad field wire at the alternator...looked good but when I pulled it off the alternator the wire came off in my hand and the connector stayed on the alternator...fixed the connector and all was well.

 

[Knebel]

Brand new field wire 14awg to regulator.

 

[1970cat]

check the voltage drop on your battery cables and connections.

 

[Knebel]

I actually measured something else. The voltage on the battery drops from 12 to 5v when i crank/load. That pretty much gives away that the battery is dead. Its an interstate battery bought exactly a year ago... so, return to sender.