hot starting

[jberkeley]

has anyone experienced hard starting after a short trip or long trip? my truck has a 78 chevy 350, with 305 heads, also holley truck avenger with the dominator intake...any tips or suggestions???? thanks guys...

[bigblock73]

DO you have headers too?

[cstanley]

HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. in my case i believe it's called heat soak, i think. happens when the extreme heat from the motor or exhaust reduces the current-carrying capacity of the starter solenoid or wiring to the solenoid, thus the starter doesn't get enough current to turn the engine over appropriately. solutions include:
heat wrap to go around starter
starter shield
relocate solenoid
install high-performance starter.

[jberkeley]

it had headers, i pulled them and went back to stock, also installed ford relay..i'll try wrapping the starter, and replace cable from the battery...thanks..

[79BIG10]

Also if you've replaced your module in the HEI and didn't use the dielectric grease that can cause hard starting. It will crank but not turn over.

[piecesparts]

I agree with the heat soak issue. I upgraded to a smaller magnetic stater and that has cured my problem. The remote solenoid is touted as working quite well, also.

[jberkeley]

just ordered a heat wrap from summit that should help, i hope..real pain on a short stop...thanks for all suggestions, this board is great....

[84slopwaggin]

I know that when the timing is advanced too far the starter will drag after a short or long drive.

[jberkeley]

when i finished the engine, i had a very hard time setting the dizzy.. if time is off, wouldn't that cause smoke on one side of the engine after warm up?

[magnethead]

it's heat soak. Same reason about 50% of the nascar field requires a push after shutting the engine off more than 50 miles in....

[piecesparts]

NO timing really doesn't affect smoke out of an engine---If you have smoke coming out of one side of the engine, then your probably have a valve guide seal that is not doing everything that it should, or Heaven forbid there is a little leakby on a piston ring.
Setting the timing off will cause an engine to run HOT (if it is set to low) or it will PING, or DIESEL on after being shutoff (if it is set to high), not tomention dragging when you try to start the motor. I used to set my timing at 12 degrees BTDC at idle RPMs and the vacuum hose disconnected to the diaphragm, but for the last few years I have gone to setting my engine to the total advance numbers of 36 degrees BTDC, at about 1500 RPM. This seems to work better and the motor runs great, starts easy and accelerates smoother.

As stated before, on your starter issue, #1 get a new starter (Look at a high performance magnetic start design, or at least get a quality brand) OR #2 put on a remote solenoid to your starter, AND #3 check your timing to see that it is in spec.