C3 General General C3 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Starter problem

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 21, 2017 | 07:15 PM
  #1  
mdvheater's Avatar
mdvheater
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
 
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Default Starter problem

I have a 1979 L82, that wont start after driving for a while, once she cools down, starts right up, I just put a rebuilt starter in today, and got the same problem, any suggestions on where to look next?
Thanks
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2017 | 07:39 PM
  #2  
ShefmonC3's Avatar
ShefmonC3
Advanced
10 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 53
Likes: 1
From: North East Ohio
Default

When you say "won't start after driving for awhile" do you mean it will not crank? Cranks slow or just cranks fine but won't fire?
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2017 | 07:49 PM
  #3  
mdvheater's Avatar
mdvheater
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
 
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Default

[QUOTE=ShefmonC3;1594351247]When you say "won't start after driving for awhile" do you mean it will not crank? Cranks slow or just cranks fine but won't fire?[/QUOTE

She wont Crank, turn over at all, all connections are good, new battery, after 30 min, she starts right up

Last edited by mdvheater; Mar 21, 2017 at 07:52 PM.
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2017 | 08:21 PM
  #4  
ShefmonC3's Avatar
ShefmonC3
Advanced
10 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 53
Likes: 1
From: North East Ohio
Default

OK, I was going to suggest that you could have bad battery (bad cell) and low cranking power but you bought a new batter too. I know you said all connections are good but I would check the battery to frame ground (at the frame) one more time for a good, clean connection. There is a fix for this... just need to track it down.
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2017 | 08:31 PM
  #5  
mdvheater's Avatar
mdvheater
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
 
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by ShefmonC3
OK, I was going to suggest that you could have bad battery (bad cell) and low cranking power but you bought a new batter too. I know you said all connections are good but I would check the battery to frame ground (at the frame) one more time for a good, clean connection. There is a fix for this... just need to track it down.
Thanks, I pulled all the connections, ground, hot, and jumpers and cleaned them, I was thinking of wrapping the starter with a heat shield next.
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2017 | 08:51 PM
  #6  
Mr D.'s Avatar
Mr D.
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime Gold
20 Year Member
Veteran: Navy
Community Builder
Liked
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 44,627
Likes: 1,826
From: Huntsville AL
Default

Originally Posted by mdvheater
Thanks, I pulled all the connections, ground, hot, and jumpers and cleaned them, I was thinking of wrapping the starter with a heat shield next.
Snake oil, 30 min is not a very long time for a starter to get heat soaked to the point it won't turn over. If it is in fact a starter problem I would instal a high torque starter, Summit sales them.

I would be looking at wring or when this happens hook up a remote start switch directly to the starter and see if it cranks over.
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2017 | 09:40 PM
  #7  
joewill's Avatar
joewill
Safety Car
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,454
Likes: 328
From: Indy Indiana
Default

put jumper cables on your battery from another car and see if it starts ( at the 30 minute hot engine point where it won't start by itself).

if it starts then the connections are good since you will have just shown that the connections will pass the amps the hot engine requires.

a hot starter and engine requires more amps than cold and sometimes the battery cannot supply the amps.

the solution is to buy a bigger battery , the biggest highest cranking amp battery you can find. or buy a high torque starter that does not take as many amps.

sometimes the starter solenoid can't pass the amps, but that would be a cold and hot issue both. but if you add amps to the system via jumper cables and it starts then you have an amperage supply issue and not a connection issue.
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2017 | 12:31 AM
  #8  
henrikse's Avatar
henrikse
Pro
 
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 729
Likes: 118
From: Kelowna British Columbia
Default

I would suggest running at home. When it fails take a meter reading from frame ground to starter lead from battery. If you are getting voltage and starter isn't moving then switch to current. You need a meter that has a high current scale (30 or 60Amp) And see if it is drawing any current? Would prove the positive battery cable from battery to starter. Then as someone suggested pretty good chnace you need a starter. Othe r thing you could try to use a battery pack and go on frame ground and jump positive right at solenoid.
Good Luck
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-5

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
story-8

2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

 Joe Kucinski
Old May 30, 2019 | 11:55 AM
  #9  
superdave269's Avatar
superdave269
Pro
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 668
Likes: 21
Default

I just walked in the door from rebuilding the HEI. It did have a bad pick up coil. I dropped it back in and it fired right up. I set the timing and gave it a test drive. I'll go back outside in 30 minutes to see if the starter acts up again but it really doesn't matter as I have one of the new fangled starters from DB Electric order.
Thanks again everyone.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Starter problem





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:29 AM.

story-0
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-5
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-7
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette lineup vs the world.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-24 16:12:42


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

Slideshow: 10 major Corvette problems from the last 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-14 16:37:05


VIEW MORE