I have a 72 Stingray.small block.
After driving for about 20 minutes, it starts to run bad, and if Ituen it off and try to start it up again it does nothing!. a slight click by the pedals that it.
If I wait and hour or two it will start up like nothing was wrong. I happens every time.
I have change the entire ignition dist,plugs, rotor,wires,msd box, starter wireing harness,coil.
I have had the car 18 years WTF!
Any help please
Chris
Long Island

 

Heat soak by the starter. An age old problem for corvette guys. Happened to me quite often until I purchesed a gear reduction starter about 4 yrs ago.

I tried to insulate the starter; had it rebuilt several times; changed to a big positive cable (welding cable). Still the problem persisted.

If you search the threads you'll find lots of in depth info. Like what happens to the solenoid, the windings and armature - which is what leads to your problem. If you have headers this definetaly makes it worse.

65-StingRay

 

Yes, I'd replace the starter. They're cheap for your year.

 

I don't think it's the starter. He said it "starts to run bad". More likely the Ign. module? I had a firebird that did the same thing, it was the ing. mod.

 

You may be right, but I don't see how the ign. module, which it sounds like he replaced, would prevent the engine from turning over.

 

One possibility I see that you havent checked is your 12 V supply. I would clean and grease the connections that feed into the fuse box and the bulkhead connector. Also I would clean both ends of the battery cables. If Im not mistaken some C-3 battery cables were made of aluminum and if you have them I would change those to a thicker gauge copper cable say a 1/0 welding.

 

Do you have headers?
Could have two problems caused by heat from headers
Heat starting to cause vapour lock in fuel line
Heat soak in starter solenoid.

 

Thanks for all the comments.
I did replace the starter, When the car dosen't start it dosen't even turn over nothing happens at all when I turn the key.
But 2 hours later it starts right up.
Chris

 

Ok, I replaced the starter once again with a high torque starter and heat shield, I also replaced the ground wire to the engine chassis.
I still does the same thing....Dam it!!

 

To test directly use a screwdriver to short between the solenoid and the battery post on the starter. Ths eliminates everything except the battery, cables and starter.

The only thing left that you haven't changed.



Aluminum is bad. The ends at least will get internally corroded and the heat and vibration will cause poor contact.
Replace with this, self made welding cable with crimped and soldered copper ends. Only the ground cable shown, but replace both. Also clean all your connections, can't always tell by looks alone.

 

I and would go with battery cables. That is the only part that can cause a starter and a engine to act up. If you fire up everything is cold and tight and then it get hot and loose (swells). You loose any contact you had. ALSO check your ground straps (all 5 of them) they are there for a reason.

 

Another thought is look at your battery Cranking AMPS and Cold
Cranking AMPS - if you have a regular battery it will drain on short
trips. If you're getting a click that usually means not enough power
from the battery.

 

I had this problem on my 71 too.

So most likely you are losing juice to your coil after things start to get hot. The most likely culprit is the junction at the firewall. I know thats a scary place to start messing with on these cars. That junction box also feeds the start wire from the ignition to the starter solonoid.

If you can reproduce the problem in your driveway, you can do some tests when its cold & hot (not working). Check the coil is getting voltage, do a continuity test on the + batt to starter cable. You should also see juice to your alternator.

 

I also had the same problem.It was the battery cable !!!!

 

Thats what I did, and I have not had a problem since.

 

If those big ol' grommets are shot (like mine were), AC Delco makes new cables with the correct ends, but in copper instead of copper-plated aluminum. They're not cheap, but they drop right in.

 

You are getting a lot of good feedback on this problem.I have a 79,L 82,4 speed car,bought new and I have this problem during the hot months of the year and not all of the time.I never have it in the cooler months no matter how much I drive.The problem seemed to come when I made the first mod to my car when new,headers along with true dual exhaust with the headres being the operative.I also run a 69 El Camino,with headers,and do not have same problem!Go figure,engine compartment size,better cooling area?? But what I have added to my Corvette as all my cars I own/owned is a remote starter switch I use for tuning purposes mostly and with a side duty which is when this heat soak problem rears its ugly head I simply hit the remote and it starts all the time.,not a fix but it works.It is a heat soak problem and I also found in my situation that Mid America sells a heat shield sock that I installed it seems to have helped me in the summer months.I lived in Ft.Lauderdale and now Memphis two very warm climates in the summer months.I have performed preventive maintenance to the starter over the years as to be able to keep the original equipment to the car.Try the remote starter switch until you come up with a fix.Just my two cents, Later Geno

 

I understand how a heat problem would cause the common starter "clicking" problem most of us have suffered through.

But how would that problem cause a car to stall??

I think its the trigger wire to the starter or coil wire, which points back to a bad connection or maybe a made ign switch, hell maybe even a neutral safety switch.

Could that click you hear by the pedals be coming from on top of the steering column by your feet?

 

I think we're seeing the symptoms of more than one problem. It's best to chase one at a time when troubleshooting, IMHO.

 

Yep, thats a good point. Not being pushy, I just know how frustrating these problems can be for the owner.

I guess I could start on the stalling problem because that's more likely to correct the hot starting issue.

Damn, I wish I was closer to you and I'd help you diagnose this pesky problem.