TR Hot Starting Issue.

Replace the starter solenoid. It is a part of the starter motor.


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Not a fan of adding the relay, but see this thread for some other information:

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/where-is-the-w-white-connector.306591/#post-140116650

IMO, you should:

1. unplug and replug the C11 connector under the coolant expansion tank (to wipe that connection).
2. unplug, inspect, and replug the w and y white connectors at the fuse-relay panel.
3. Instead of adding the relay, add a jumper wire to directly connect the white wire in the w connector to the white wire in the y connector.

If you have the trouble again (before doing something else to address the trouble), give the w and y connectors a jiggle to see if that helps.

 

Actually the problem probably starts in your fuse box. You are probably not getting enough volts to your starter solenoid when it gets hot. search white wire fuse box. Its probably burnt and you can add a jumper to correct. Mistro Steve M. should be able to post or Pm you a drawing.

Thats funny as I was posting this, Steve Jumped in, no pun intended!!! LOL

 

I have the exact same problem. I just had my starter and solenoid rebuilt to solve it and it didn’t help. I suspect the fuse box now.

 

It's always a question of probabilities. Could it have been a starter/solenoid problem = sure, but probably only a few percent of the time is that the cause. The ignition switch could be the trouble, too, but that's another just a few percent of the time cause. I'd go with maybe 5~10% on a bad C11 connection (but just rewiping that connection can restore a lot of long-term benefit), but the big hitter is the flaky female terminals in the w and y connectors -- they just aren't really up to reliably conveying the 10~20 amps that a starter solenoid draws without degrading over time. Still have to give your Mechanic a demerit for throwing parts at the problem without confirming the real cause .

 

What are those? Will a new fuse box address them? I need a new fuse box anyway, really.

 

They are the 2-prong female terminals used in the cables of the white connectors at the fuse-relay panel:

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Depends on what you mean by "new fuse box". None of replacement TR fuse-relay panels do anything to directly address the starter solenoid connections, but a couple of them may be a bit better for this problem because they uses thicker traces or thicker wires (which helps conduct away the heat generated at the terminal contact points by the high current). My summary for the effect on these starter solenoid connections for the various TR fuse-relay panels would be:

New stock TR fuse-relay panel = no change
Guido's TR fuse-relay panel = some benefit from the thicker wires
GT Car Parts TR fuse-relay panel = some benefit from the thicker traces
SR Modified TR fuse-relay-panel = no change

But, regardless of fuse relay-panel used, the much better solution IMO is to just directly connect the white wire in the w connector to the white wire in the y connector. This starter solenoid signal connects to nothing else on the TR fuse-relay panel and only goes there for harness assembly reasons:

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I prefer to not cut any of the stock wire conductors so here's a shot of the white jumper wire that I added (where it is connected to the white wire in the w connector and the white wire in the y connector, but I had not yet reinserted the female terminal into the y connector):

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The white jumper wire added to the white wire of the w connector, but before reinserting the female terminal back into the (unplugged) w connector:

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Thank you so much for that suggestion. I’d like to try it. Your jumper is spliced/soldered into the other white wires?

 

Yes, I remove a short section of the insulation on the stock wires, maybe 1/2" ~ 3/4" (as I said, I don't like to cut the conductors of the stock wires), intertwine/wrap the jumper wire end to the exposed stock wire conductors, solder, and cover with shrink tubing. That way, the jumper is added in parallel to the stock path (rather than replacing the stock path). A close-up of the jumper I added to the y white wire before soldering:

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sometimes the problems are soooo easy to find, but we are thinking to complicated

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Why not cut the wire to get the shrink tubing on? Will that affect the result, or are you just trying to preserve originality?

I realize I could remove the pin from the connector to get the shrink tubing on, but that introduces more opportunities for me to screw up.

 

Removing the female terminal from the connector shell is not hard IMO, and I don't like to cut the original wire conductors -- to each, his/her own

 

I have the same problem. Drive around, stop for gas. Nothing. Try again (a few times maybe) and car starts.
Sorry to say, I do not follow the resolution.

Was the problem solved by tightening the battery connector?
Or did you do follow the steps for the with the White Wire?
Or something else.
Thank you.

 

I am going to try Steve’s recommendation and report back in a few days.

 

I tried everything and it I ended up doing the relay. Relay has worked great. I know it’s a fix, but it starts flawlessly now.

 

I tried doing as Steve suggested. Don’t know if I goofed or if the car gods just have a sense of humor, but a) it didn’t help, and b) after a little while (but not at first), my starter motor began to run whenever the headlights were on.

 

hopefully you just switched off the headlights then?

 

Did you (correctly) make the connection to the white wire in the y connector or (incorrectly) to the white wire in the x connector?:
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If done correctly, it's not a bad modification to have/keep (even if it didn't fix the problem). Post #8 lists some other things that can be trouble for starter operation so those would need to be checked/verified as well.

 

@turbo-joe Yes, then I cut the jumper and all was well. I actually got to use the pliers from the car’s toolkit!

@Steve Magnusson I did it incorrectly. Will try again.

 

Where did you guys put the starter relay ? What is the best place to attach one ?

 

I would try the fuse board fix first. If that does not cure your problem, I would install the relay. On my 88 tr if I remember right I tucked it under the air intake and tried to hide it.