Won't start when hot

[JabberWocky]

Your earth should be as big as your power cable. The smaller earth will limit what you can draw. So is that earth wire running all the way back from the starter as well?

[blackbart]

did you scrape off enough paint to make good electrical contact between the starter motor body and the block

got an infra-red temp gun?

There's no paint between block and starter. I have a cable running from each starter bolt. One goes back to the batt (can see in the pic), the other runs forward about 1 - 2 feet and is earthed on the chassis itself. There's also two other earth cables one off the block to chassis and one off heads to chassis.

Don't have an infared gun. Never had the prob with the old engine. Weird. Even the old starer carked it when it got hot with the new engine. Same block and everything but it didn't even click, nothing happened at all.

So is that earth wire running all the way back from the starter as well?

Yes. See above. Its not the only one.

[oldcorollas]

hmm.. silly question time...
checked the solenoid trigger wire and it's connections? it's not about to fall off and not getting enough current to pull the gear out?

[Rz]

trigger wire is via a relay ?

[Greg Rust]

I have had issues with Alarms and immobilisers not allowing enough current to the solenoid wire, I have installed a relay and this really helps especially when the engine is hot.

[coop1er]

If it does mesh it turn a little (sounds weird) but won't turn it over properly

Is this sound like the starter spinning without engaging the engine?

[blackbart]

Would the battery isolator switch make a difference?

[oldcorollas]

if it has poor contact and is heating up when trying to flow 100 amps... but even then, it should try to start once when hot.. and subsequent times it would be difficult..

if it never tries to start when hot, then something is getting hot from the engine running, and that could be the problem.
small wires etc are more issue after you try to start for a few seconds and the wires heat up, and then start to cause a problem...

hmm... exhaust follows same route as wires?

[blackbart]

Nah the isolator is right at the back of the car, it doesn't get hot at all, just wondering if it could affect the power flow much.

I'm running a second power cable and spacing the starter down a bit. If this doesn't fix it I give up.

[blackbart]

New theory: Took the pipes off and watched the starter while someone else turned the key and the gear is just hitting the flexplate square. The clearance is fine and its dead cold. The flat part of the starter gear hits the flat part of the ring gear in certain positions. Fark.

[BigMuz]

Told ya :D

[blackbart]

Back together and its doing it worse. Its that but something else too. Fuck this I'm putting the old starter back in.

[blackbart]

Old starter back in. Works ok, not the best. It didn't work when the car over heated last time but hopefully with the thermal protector and coated headers it lasts for a week or so until I can rego the thing.

[Dave]

your pistons are too big :p

[bthology]

same thing happening to my sisters car...
electrical problems are farked!