Hard to start when hot

[Mirkz]

Hey all,

Sorry to post another starting thread, had a read of a couple of other similar threads, but thought I'd get some fresh input.

My VT 5L has some trouble starting when the motor is warm.
When it's cold (ie. been sitting for a couple hours or so and cooled down/overnight etc), it'll start nicely pretty much every time, like it should.
However, after a bit of driving, pulling up to a shop or something for 10 mins and then jumping back into the car to start and go, it'll do various things.

Here's how it started.

When I first got the car, when starting warm, the car would turn over 2-3 times, but VERY slowly, and then it would fire and be fine.
Then it started to change, these days, it hardly seems to turn over very slowly.
More so when it's warm it'll turn over quickly, kind of like that normal whirring noise, but it'll keep going and going and going.
So I'll stop, turn it off, and try again, this time feathering the throttle, this gets it to EVENTUALLY kick over.

Can anyone suggest something to stop this if they've experienced something similar?

Thankyou!

[Thessman]

i use to get that in a VP 5.0L i had a few months ago. althoughh mine started without feathering the throttle. so i cleaned the battery terminals and replaced it with a new battery as the one in it was very old. that seemed to help a little bit. dunno if that helps at all but its a 5 minute job to clean the terminals, c if it helps.

[TonyJZX]

i started the exact same thread a few days ago

it's the starter motor

you need a new one

mine's been playing well for now and i suspect that if it gets thru Jan Feb heat well i can leave it over winter where it won't matter... so that's a good 9 months of not doing anything!

[Mirkz]

Thanks tony, sorry I didn't see your post, sounds pretty much spot on with my issue.
Will look into it... hope that's all it is!! could've sworn the guy I got the car from said the started had been replaced, might've just been the alternator though...

Would the factory holden starter motor be okay to use?
or is it better to get aftermarket ?

[TonyJZX]

i think it's about $300 from anyone really

it's not hard to fix as they drop in a new or a reco

just can't be stuffed spending money and shit

[Mirkz]

yeah I think Im going to leave it for now, planning on getting the interior lights done in the next week, so the starter can wait a while. I can walk to work from my place if necessary, but it still starts at the moment, just sometimes it struggles.
I'll wait a lil, but I'll plan to change soon.

[ispeed]

Hi - my VT Senator is the same, slow to turn over when hot.
I've been told by 2 or 3 people to look at the earthing on the electrical system, especially the starter motor wiring/connections.
Had a problem about 2 years ago - no start at all, it was a rotten earth cable from body to motor or something like that.

[Mirkz]

Update!

Just fitted the new starter motor today, pretty fun job and felt great after it was all back together and done and started.

However,
I got caught out this afternoon after the car had been driving around a bit. Went to fill up and then tried to start the car and it was farked again.
Had to get jump started for the 3rd time this week.
So infuriating!

I thought it was maybe an issue with the alternator not charging the battery or something, but I really have no idea.
You mention a rotten earth cable ispeed, where abouts is it?

Think I'm gonna have to take it into an auto sparky and just get a professional to fix it because I don't want to get stuck time and time again whilst I fix up this and that.
So disappointing.

[soop]

Earth cable is opposite the positive cable. :P

clamps in good nick?

Battery might have no balls left.

[ispeed]

Dunno - They came to the car, I was at work. aparently it looked ok on the outside, but when they load tested the system they found an earth with really high resistance - corrosion inside insulation. replaced it. been sweet since. down in the bowels of the engine bay somewhere.
An auto sparky is the answer.

[Mirkz]

Had the battery tested the other day and the guy was saying it was in great condition and nothing wrong with it.
even had the battery on charge over night last night just in case the prev starter had drained it.

Traced that earth cable. Looks old but not like its in ####house condition.

Clamps look okay, when I had them off to do the starter motor this morning I grabed a wire brush and brushed up the terminals and the clamps etc to get a better connection.

[soop]

Do they tighten up?
Or do they go tight and still spin on the battery?

Does the engine relay heat up at all?

[RiCeY]

From memory the earth point that causes dramas is on the engine bay sidewall near the battery.

The connector slides onto a post that gets corroded inside. Pull the plug off and sand any corrosion off.

[Mirkz]

Soop - They're tight, no movement, can't wiggle them etc.
Where's the engine relay located?
(Still dont have my gregorys manual yet, hasn't been delivered :/)

Ricey - thanks man, will check this one out!
Edit: Its not the one that's at the front of the motor you can easily see that's attached to a metal bracket is it ?
Or is it actually hidden away somewhere on the actual side of the engine ?

[soop]

engine relay is in the fues box.

Should be ignition or engine. Cant remember what they called it.

[Mirkz]

Would it heat up on start up or just with engine running for a while ?

[soop]

if it heats up drastically more then any other its not right.

[RiCeY]

Its on the body not the engine. Probably cant see it behind the battery.

[Mirkz]

Ah okay, just looked at it (if it's the one I think it was, joins up with fuse box wiring), doesn't look corroded at all, oldish but not corroded :/

[RiCeY]

Edit brains cooked

Youve fitted a new starter yeah?

[Mirkz]

Yep new starter fitted this morning

[RiCeY]

Id say its a resistance issue as resistance inceases with heat which would explain the issue only occuring when hot.

Check the cables that run off the starter for corrosion or breakages.

[Mirkz]

I had a bit of a look at them today when I was doing it, most of them 'looked' okay. But that said, I couldn't see what the insides are doing.
Might get an auto sparky to check em out, that way they can at least test wires and will be able to pin point the issue.

Cheers for the assistance guys!

[wrx884]

u should get urself ur own multimeter that has ohms setting aswell and voltage. u could do some simple tests that we might b able 2 help 1st. most basic DMM's r around 15-20 at any auto or elec store

[Mirkz]

I plan to get myself a multimeter next time I'm there that's for sure.

My gregorys manual rocked up today. Definitely a good read, should certainly come in handy.

I've booked the car in to auto spark in redcliffe on friday.
might have to taxi it to work or something though because I dont think I can get a lift to-from work to get to the car.
OH well.. hopefully they fix the issue so my car is then reliable. Then I can focus on the other things.