Post by Lucid on Jun 5, 2007 16:59:20 GMT -5
I am sure many of you are familiar with this problem, the car starts up fine and you drive it around and do your thing, jump back in the car and turn the key and NOTHING....
No cranking, no turnover, just a sound the car makes like it is constipated and relieved when you let go of the key. (lol)
My particular problem is that it gets hot and will not crank, so this alarm guy showed me how to start it, put the key on the on position and touch the two hot wires together. It cranks right up...
It sounds like the wires are not carrying the proper current to turn over the starter, but when power is applied directly to it, it does...
Any suggestions?
BTW i found this article from a Buick Riviera Enthusiast about converting the car to a Ford Solenoid setup:
www.1badriv.com/rivprogres.htm
Summer 2004
Installing a Ford Solenoid in your GM car
In order to start the car once it warms up I needed to correct the heat soak problem so many GM cars have once headers are installed. The problem stems from the fact that there are several small gauge wires that need to connect to the starter, yet they must pass perilously close to the high heat given off by the headers. Once these wires get hot their resistance to electric current goes up and they refuse to pass along the current from the battery to the starter. My Riv would do absolutely nothing if I turned the key once the engine warmed up.
A heat shield usually does not cure the problem. Heat shields only block heat from getting to the starter and the solenoid. Wrap the wires in a head shield wrap? Maybe, but I had that fail too.
The cure?
Install a Ford Starter solenoid. They are less than $10 and are available at all auto parts stores. The Borg Warner part number is S63P. It is a "4 Post" solenoid.
* Relocate ALL the wires that are currently connected to the BAT terminal on your GM starter solenoid (the large terminal) to the 'hot' side of the Ford solenoid (that's the side connected right to the battery, typically the large post to the left on the ford solenoid).
This will allow you to relocate the wires away from the headers and hot engine block. You will only have a SINGLE cable running to the starter, not a bunch of wires. My wires were able to reach to the inner fender on the driver's side near the battery with the only wire needing modification being the wire to the oil pressure sending switch. You will need to unwrap the harness somewhat, but it isn't a big deal.
Just be sure NOT to use electrical tape to rewrap the harness! It will turn in to a gooey mess over time. Invest $10 and buy the original harness wrap "friction" tape from Year One.
* Relocate the 'start' wire on the GM starter solenoid (small terminal labled “S”) to the “S” terminal on the ford solenoid.
* Relocate the fuel pump/oil pressure switch wires from the “R” terminal on the GM solenoid to the “I” terminal on the Ford Solenoid.
* Run the battery cable from the right side (non-hot) of the ford solenoid to the BAT terminal on the GM starter solenoid (the large terminal).
* Run a wire from the "S" terminal on the GM solenoid to the "BAT" post on the stock GM solenoid. This way, the solenoid is getting FULL battery voltage to the solenoid when the key is turned.
Here is a picture to help:
No cranking, no turnover, just a sound the car makes like it is constipated and relieved when you let go of the key. (lol)
My particular problem is that it gets hot and will not crank, so this alarm guy showed me how to start it, put the key on the on position and touch the two hot wires together. It cranks right up...
It sounds like the wires are not carrying the proper current to turn over the starter, but when power is applied directly to it, it does...
Any suggestions?
BTW i found this article from a Buick Riviera Enthusiast about converting the car to a Ford Solenoid setup:
www.1badriv.com/rivprogres.htm
Summer 2004
Installing a Ford Solenoid in your GM car
In order to start the car once it warms up I needed to correct the heat soak problem so many GM cars have once headers are installed. The problem stems from the fact that there are several small gauge wires that need to connect to the starter, yet they must pass perilously close to the high heat given off by the headers. Once these wires get hot their resistance to electric current goes up and they refuse to pass along the current from the battery to the starter. My Riv would do absolutely nothing if I turned the key once the engine warmed up.
A heat shield usually does not cure the problem. Heat shields only block heat from getting to the starter and the solenoid. Wrap the wires in a head shield wrap? Maybe, but I had that fail too.
The cure?
Install a Ford Starter solenoid. They are less than $10 and are available at all auto parts stores. The Borg Warner part number is S63P. It is a "4 Post" solenoid.
* Relocate ALL the wires that are currently connected to the BAT terminal on your GM starter solenoid (the large terminal) to the 'hot' side of the Ford solenoid (that's the side connected right to the battery, typically the large post to the left on the ford solenoid).
This will allow you to relocate the wires away from the headers and hot engine block. You will only have a SINGLE cable running to the starter, not a bunch of wires. My wires were able to reach to the inner fender on the driver's side near the battery with the only wire needing modification being the wire to the oil pressure sending switch. You will need to unwrap the harness somewhat, but it isn't a big deal.
Just be sure NOT to use electrical tape to rewrap the harness! It will turn in to a gooey mess over time. Invest $10 and buy the original harness wrap "friction" tape from Year One.
* Relocate the 'start' wire on the GM starter solenoid (small terminal labled “S”) to the “S” terminal on the ford solenoid.
* Relocate the fuel pump/oil pressure switch wires from the “R” terminal on the GM solenoid to the “I” terminal on the Ford Solenoid.
* Run the battery cable from the right side (non-hot) of the ford solenoid to the BAT terminal on the GM starter solenoid (the large terminal).
* Run a wire from the "S" terminal on the GM solenoid to the "BAT" post on the stock GM solenoid. This way, the solenoid is getting FULL battery voltage to the solenoid when the key is turned.
Here is a picture to help: