'68...I recently put on a powermaster mini starter and it works great except that when the car gets hot, it will not crank...not at all, no clicking, nothing. It's happened say five times...I have started the car a half dozen times during the day then after a longer drive, nothing...no clicks, no crank. Fires right up otherwise. My battery voltage reads approx 12.6 constant. I checked voltage coming into the neutral safety switch cold and its approx 12.5. I checked again when it would not crank and the voltage was approx 10...both going into the switch and coming out of the switch. I Also checked voltage at the starter when cold and its approx 12.5...then again when it would not crank and its aprox 10. One time it was as low as 8+. I have converted to HEI and the timing is set at 14 degrees. I did not have this problem with the starter that I replaced. Any ideas? Thanks
You should be charging at 14 or 14.5 volts. Check all grounds and especially your negative battery wire. Take it off clean and reinstall. If you bring your alternater to your local pep boys or advance auto they'll check it for free. You have to start somewhere.
Have the battery load tested. I would also replace the battery cables with 2 gauge minimum, and make sure every connection is clean and tight.
Thanks for your replies. The battery was load tested and checked out ok but they mentioned it could be a bad cell??? I attempted to check this by swapping batteries the next time that the non-start occurred. My battery worked in the other car...and the battery from the other car had no affect. From that I assumed that the battery was not the issue. Maybe I should take it to another place to be sure. The local auto electric suggested a solenoid bypass but I am reluctant to do that...I'd rather find the problem. My cables are new...stock cables...all connections very clean and tight. Not sure what the gage of stock cables is. Andy
A foot note to this. If you are running headers make sure you re-install or if not get one and install that stupid little starter heat shield that everyone throws out. That heat shield actually works shielding the starter otherwise you will have a very short life span on that starter if you are running headers. Also what is your timing? Hot start problems with too advance of timing can also be a cause.
Is this correct? Bat volts hot or cold 12.6 Switch wire when hot 10v or less. Starter wire when hot 10v or less. Is starter volt measurement at s post or big bat post or both? If big post is 10v when hot, and bat is 12.6, look for a bad connection at either end of both cables. If only s post is low check any pos junction point and ign switch feed volts.
Wow, hopefully that does not happen to me, i just bought a powermaster mini starter aswell, just installing it actually.. but i made sure id add more negative grounds to the engine and body, i was actually going to ask if the voltage regulator box mounted on the firewall should get warm, not hot but warm when the ignition is on.. just want to make sure i dont have any problems when i go to reno this 7th of august. checking through everything..dont mean to hijack, but just wanted to let you know you should check all your grounds.. specially the one on the motor to body, and chassis if you got one.
re Steller Yes... approx 12.6V at + battery post at all times...consistently (charging system 14V) 12.5V at neutral safety switch (at console) when cool 10.0V at switch (at console) when hot...when non-start occurs...both in and out of switch 12.5V at wire connector terminal at starter (from switch) when cool (disconnected)...10.0 or less when non-start occurs I did not check the battery cable connector at starter when non-start occurs...probably should but starter isn't even getting a chance to engage. Have new battery cables and clean connections...new battery, new starter, new cables...old wiring harness but not mutilated. It seems that if I can not get 12.6V at the neutral safety switch the problem would have to be between the battery and the switch switch wire starts at battery... to horn relay... to keystart... to switch... to starter. Going to check all grounds and I guess try to get it to point of non-start again...and retrace voltage starting at horn relay then forward. Worked with the stock starter. I also have a 2nd car with a powermaster and will probably switch out to see if that resolves...but hard to see how it would be the starter if there is only 10V at the neutral safety switch. Confused.... Thanks, Andy PS local auto electric says to bypass with remote solenoid...seems gimmicky and I would like to keep it stock looking.
The solenoid is hot-soaking,it's common on powermasters.I'm afraid you will need to add the remote ford style solenoid as mentioned above.
re 65 special can you explain why heat soaking.... if I disconnect the wire from the key to the neutral switch (ie...the switch wire to the starter is disconnected leaving only the battery cable on the starter) and that wire shows only 10V (starter is not active), how would the starter cause the voltage drop? Thanks, Andy
have you tried shielding the starter from heat see if its just ambient heat thats causing the starters malfunction and not the heat generated from either a false connection or just problem with the wires, id try to check all grounds.. also try touching all wires checking for hot ones, also check the voltage regulator, just curious. im with you on this one as this could happen to me since i just bought one and installed it on my car..
A 12 VDC car battery has 6 cells, each of which has a nominal 2.1 VDC equaling 12.6 VDC. That is what your battery should read if it is fully charged, but not currently being charged.
I think that you are onto something when checking the voltage at the neutral safety switch. Typically, the drop at any component is something close to .3 volts max, unless it is the load. The load will always drop the supplied voltage. Therein lies the rub. It is the neutral safety switch that either permits or denies the solenoid voltage, engaging the starter. The ignition switch supplies the voltage to the neutral safety switch. You need to check the voltage supplied to that switch, through the ignition switch. You may have a drop at the fuse box, or the connector, or through the switch. You have the correct technique, but are not grasping the results. It is possible that the starter is drawing sufficient current to drop the battery voltage below where components respond. You mentioned that the old starter did not do that...you either have a defective starter or a poor connection resulting from the installation. High performance starters typically use a gear reduction system to increase the motor speed. The higher motor speed reduces the current draw during the start. Questions? Just ask.
Whoops,sorry,i didnt catch that you had a HUGE voltage drop.By all means,you need to fix that first..you want battery voltage @ the solenoid at all times.Connections first,then possible cable replacement.
you are on the right track. check volts on your list in that order. Horn relay-good posibility of a bad or corroded connection. You could have a good bit of heat generated here if there is any below average connections and would be creating big resistance causing voltage drop. Then ign switch then going thru fire wall. After this point you have already found low volts so the problem will be found before this point. My guess is the relay or relay feed. good luck.
After years of solenoid misery with Chevys, and to some degree, Buicks, I decided to try a heat shield for 11.00 from Year One. That was 7 years ago, and I have not had ANY trouble since then with a "hot' start. RW 1970 Skylark Convertible 455
Followup/resolution okay...not the sharpest pencil in the box... pulled front wiring harness and replaced entire solenoid circuit, rewrapped, reinstalled and nothing. then, pulled identical starter on second car and installed, ran around all day in 100+ degree weather...no issues. called Powermaster and they are going to replace the defective starter. they also emphasize that there should be no heat issues with this starter, especially w/ stock exhaust.
