Hard starting when warm

[daveboy]

Still getting used to my stock '52 Chevy 1/2 ton with 216 CID engine. I have only had her for 6 weeks or so. I am now noticing with the weather warming up, that she is extremely hard to start when warmed up. I don't drive her much, but last weekend when I stopped to get gas she would turn over okay it seemed, but just wouldn't quite start. Finally sat at the gas station for half an hour or so and finally she fired up. Today, I took her for a little drive, parked her in the garage, and let her sit for about ten minutes. When I went to start her, she barely did crank and it did seem that the starting was not turning her over with any gusto. I seem to recall reading somewhere that these starters get hot and cause this problem. If that is right, is there a cure? Please don't tell me to convert to 12V. I assume that will solve this, and several other problems, but I want to keep it stock if possible. She will never be a daily driver, otherwise I would convert.

daveboy

[fourspeedwagon]

Pretty sure you're experiencing "vapor lock" which is a fuel related problem, rather than a problem with the starter. 6 volts always turn slowly, don't worry about that and don't fall for the "use an 8 volt battery" solution either. Vapor lock occurs when the temperatures are high, but generally don't happen in cool weather- just as you indicated.

[mknittle]

Vapor lock won't effect how the starter turns though. Has the starter been rebuilt?
If you know the battery and starter are good try starting it then feel the battery cables. A hot one indicates a bad connection{Be careful they can be really hot}. But first clean all the battery connections even the ground.
The hot starter you referred to usually happens on V8s where the exhaust is close to the starter. If you have a fuel filter check that too{just incase}

[mr48chev]

What's the state of tune on the engine?
Are the points and condenser fairly new with points adjusted correctily?
Is the timing set correctly?
Are the cap,rotor, plugs and wires in good shape?
Is the carb in good shape and adjusted correctly?

On the starter, it may be dragging a bit and need to be rebuilt or freshened up. New bushings and brushes aren't expensive at usually well under 20.00 and it only takes an hour or so start to finish to replace the bushings and brushes for someone who hasn't done it before.

Battery cables and all the connections on the battery cables in good shape?

There are plenty more things but those are things that come to mind when dealing with an old rig that may have been setting for some length of time before a guy decided to get it running and may have gotten in a hurry and missed a thing or two because it did run fairly well when he fired it up.

[zenchal26]

check timing

[Rufton]

Modern fuel seems to vaporize at a lower temp.
Heat soaked carb fuel bowls can boil or vaporize; if that fuel manages to get into intake it can cause a rich no start condition for a while.
I tend to start my heat soaked carbs by holding 1/2 throttle and cranking.
Some applications have fast idle cam; I set fast idle prior to shut down and don't touch throttle during re-start.

As mentioned healthy starter and terminals can only help.
Too much advance can strain starter as some have mentioned.