car won't start when hot

[draper4412]

I have a 91 festiva and lately the car starts just fine but when I drive it for awhile when I shut the car off and attempt to restart the car a lot of the time it acts like the battery is dying and has a hard time starting. If I let the car sit for awhile it will start back up again just fine. I have replaced the battery, starter, and battery ground cable. Any help would be appreciated.

[doylerl]

Check your oil. Is it milky? If so maybe a blown head gasket and the water/coolant is getting into the cylinders causing excess presure making it harder for the starter to turn it over.

[Nerd Racing]

sounds like a bad starter to me. we had a similar problem with our minivan when I was younger.

They are easy enough to remove, might want to have it tested.

[FestYboy]

^ testing will show a good starter (no one can actually LOAD test a starter, unless you go to a rebuilder)

[91_festy_Gl]

X3 on bad starter or worn out starter.

[doylerl]

I have a 91 festiva and lately the car starts just fine but when I drive it for awhile when I shut the car off and attempt to restart the car a lot of the time it acts like the battery is dying and has a hard time starting. If I let the car sit for awhile it will start back up again just fine. I have replaced the battery, starter, and battery ground cable. Any help would be appreciated.

He says he replaced the starter already. What are the odds of 2 bad ones? That is why I was leaning towards something else.

[ckiesman]

hard to start meaning the motor turns over hard? Mine does the same thing. Lets it sit a few hours, and its fine.

[iceracerdude]

Actually you can test how much of a "draw" a starter is pulling with one of these:

It's actually got a switch you push that puts a load on the system to affect certain tests AND it's so easy, even a caveman can do it!
I've got this exact one from Harbor freight, AND they've got em on sale right now for $20. Google: Harbor Freight Load tester, 100 amp to get a look see.
Or you can check this link for as long as it stays up!? http://www.harborfreight.com/100-amp...ter-90636.html
These devices have been around for decades and honestly, It's invaluable for testing the age old question of whether or not "it's the battery", "the alternator", or "the starter". I've used mine over 20 times easily between all my stuff, my friends and family.
At one point my Father-in-law was classically mis-diagnosing my sister-in-law's starter as being the culprit on her car. Had her go so far as to order the replacement and was just about to pull it (was up on jack stands!)when I caught wind of it and so I'm like: "SSSTOPPPPPP"!
How many times do you think guys like that have thrown $100 plus starters away, right!

[Safety Guy]

Draper, is yours an automatic transaxle? Mine would do that when it got pretty hot. The ATX starter is on the back of the block by the firewall and heats up a lot with the engine. Something expands or something and the circuits won't connect. When it cools a bit it'll then start right up.

If so, is your radiator fan operational?

Karl

[denguy]

I would check the batt and the alt-reg while I was looking things over.

[draper4412]

by hard to start I mean it sounds like the battery is going dead. I am nervous to turn it off if I know I need to restart it because sometimes it does not have enough "juice" to turn over and it acts like the battery is dead and will not start. Even if I jump it that does not work. The only thing that works is letting it sit for awhile and it starts right back up.

[draper4412]

I will check on the radiator fan. The car is a manual

[Pocket_Rocket]

Any update on that? My car has been doing the same thing since I swapped in my BP, and I'm still trying to figure it out.

[FestYboy]

^ check your wire impedance (ohms) when cold and then again when hot. i bet you'll see a differance. and don't only test between the ends of the wires, but also between each end and the terminal it connects to (like at the battery post and the post connector itself).