I just came back from a road trip recently. Drove from Vancouver, BC to San Francisco and back. Total mileage 2600 mi. My car had developed a hot start issue even before leaving for the trip. But around town and in my home town, it hadn't been a big deal. However, on a road trip it's a different story. Plus the issue got worse. Since I did not have any tools with me nor the time or even a decent place to implement the well-known relay fix, I ended up coming up with a $10.99 workaround on the spot and it worked well. This is the workaround, available in any Radio Shack which are basically everywhere: Component Cooler - RadioShack.com I realize it's not an elegant fix by any means, but in a pinch it's a life saver. I had to resort to it on probably half a dozen occasions while on the road trip and it did not let me down. I have since bought and installed a Red Top.
What do u mean hot start?? Cranking bit no start or hot start like starter solenoid not engaging while hot?
The hot start problem has been well documented. It took me a while to figure out other people had the same problem. Basically there is no crank when the car is hot. See below: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355/202861-348-starter-relay-modification.html http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355/160866-348-hot-start-problem-fixed.html It's not so much ambient temperature hot, but rather after the car has been driven. And the problem does get worse as the battery ages - to the point where the car would stall while driving because the battery can't hold enough charge from the alternator when hot. Happened to me with 2 different batteries as they aged. I don't know any other cars that do that ... I was trained as an electrical engineer and I would like to say this temperature related issue is very common with batteries, but I'm not aware of that. Suffice it to say higher temperature generally raises resistance of metal. As far as where I spray the stuff, I aim at the starter housing which you can see clearly from above through the muffler(s). And also at the wires leading to the starter. I try not to spray too much all at once because the spray will literally bring the temperature down to ice build up which of course can crack the components. So I usually spray a thin coat, try starting, then spray again. In 2-5 minutes (under California May weather which gets hot during the day), it would start for me. I noticed quite a few bottles on the shelf at Radio Shack had the red straw missing. Without the straw, you wouldn't be able to get as much spray on the starter because the distance is a bit far with the muffler in between. In any case, I don't leave home without having a couple of cans of this stuff in the car anymore =-)
Happened to me the other day again. I bought the relay , but just haven't put it in yet. Some one has mentioned the bullet connector under airbox that should be cleaned. So when it happened the other day ( not start after little drive ) I jiggled the wires from the air box to battery and it started. Crazy! Have you checked or cleaned your bullit connectors?? Just curious. And when it happens again , before you spray your coolant on it, jiggle the wires going to airbox and see.
Sadly I have not driven the car after having put in the new Red Top. It's been raining here everyday, and I've been busy. In any case, I'm sure the hot start problem would be gone - for a while at least. Everytime I put in a new battery (even a regular one), there is no hot start issue. But the problem usually resurfaces pretty fast - like in a few months. And I do have a battery tender. I was actually starting to wonder if the battery tender might be hurting the battery, especially if the car gets driven at least once every couple of weeks.
That makes two of us - I also bought the relay while on my road trip, but haven't put it in yet. It's crazy trying to do something like that out in the parking lot somewhere. Now that I'm back home, my new Red Top battery would fend off the issue for a while ... To be fair, my battery connectors were quite oxidized and I didn't clean them the last time I replaced the battery (just 6 months ago). This time around, I took my time getting rid of the oxidation. I did try to clean the bullet connectors but that's not exactly easy 'cuz it's thin and deep in there (insert your joke here). I did however put in some bulb grease between all the connections including the bullet connector. When it didn't start while on the road trip, I did wiggle the wiring between the battery and the starter but it didn't help. That's the thing with this hot start issue, many times I would do something and then the car would start, including fiddling with the stereo (which is silly), and sure enough the subsequent time the "trick" didn't work. Another time it was me rolling the car a few inches in neutral. To me, I am resigned to accepting it's likely just a function of how long you wait until the parts cool down below a certain threshold. I have to admit the whole "ritual" is getting almost comical. I'll probably try rubbing my head and patting my tummy the next time just in case ...
Lmao, that's great. Yes one time I moved my car and it worked. Thought I had the fix... No go next time. So last time was jiggling the bullet connector lines and it worked. Lets see next time if it works. Need to get the relay in or starter button sounds cool... Not to handy myself so....
Oh actually, Gonna go to radio shack myself )) that's a good one as well until relay install and new battery. Very stressful when out not knowing if its gonna start..
Believe me, I've been there many times. I even have to time my gas stops so that I get gas shortly after I leave the house. Or else I get gas and get stuck at the pump ...
Just happened again. I live in New York. Beautiful night. Drive it for 10 minutes to park. Played some ball for a little while and nothing. I tried moving those wires like I said worked last time.... Nothing!! Arghhhh!!! So is relay sure fix??? Why am I being so stubborn. The billet connector under airbox?? It's like I do it on purpose just to see if I found a trick to start it. I needed a guy to push me just now to pop the clutch. It didn't work form popping clutch but I texted it after the push ( to slow ) and the key started it.
I'm not even sure how to remove the air box. I m dying to sand the bullit connectors under there just to see if it happens again. So gluten I am!!! But few said that was their problem. Maybe I m worried that if its not the relay then what. Lol.
I'm pretty sure the relay would resolve the hot start problem. The inside of the bullet connector is not the easiest too sand because of the geometry. How old is your battery? That would play a role as well. And stop by Radio Shack! They always have the spray in stock.
I have never actually had to resort to pushing the car or otherwise. I guess I'm never in a hurry when I take the 348 out. I just sit in my car with the engine lid open, and wait up to half an hour for the engine bay to cool down. Actually it's not that bad - I'd usually have the engine lid open first, then try to figure out how to restart. And by the time I give up, 10-15 minutes would have gone by. This was before I got the spray. *Most* of the time success in engaging the starter is incremental as well. As in when I first try it, a lot of times there is no clicking sound at all. A few minutes later, when I turn the key, I'd hear a faint click but not enough to turn the flywheel over (just one faint click, not like click-click-click). Then wait a little longer, and the clicking sound gets stronger, until at some point the flywheel actually turns over.
Radio shack for sure!!! So you just sprays it on the little wire connected to solenoid or whole starter it self?? That was some good thinking pal. Sorry to bother u..
Hey, no bother at all. That's what the forum is for ... I spray on the entire starter housing - a thin coat. And the cabling leading to it around that area. It would take some time for the low temperature to penetrate. I have never been able to start after just one squirt. So I squirt some, wait 30 seconds, try to start. Then squirt again. After a couple of these, it would start right up. The whole event would take about 2 minutes. Once again, I'm cautious about not cracking any metal due to overspraying.
That's great. Just started a thread on how to install my relay. I know they're r a few pics out there but would love to see more specific ones if there r any.
