Runs great and overall pretty happy with how it has been running since all the work. Been chasing one issue since I did the swap though.
Happens on and off, and, I don't drive it that much so I don't think if it often. But got it out today and figured it was time to fix it.
It doesn't like to start when warm. Acts like the battery is dead. Turns over slowly, lights dim, clicks, ect.
However, if it let it cool of a bit, starts right up. When it is going through this issue, the negative battery cable (the small one, that attaches to the chassis) gets really hot.
Hot enough, that it melted through the insulation a while back (replaced the cable).
What I've done: Replaced battery Replaced the negative battery cable (and small wire). Cleaned off the chassis ground, and ran another ground wire from the rear of the block (trunk side) to the chassis to make sure the block had a good ground.
Negative battery cable is hooked up to the front of the block, if I remember right, the first stud on the head near the battery.
The melting negative ground tells me there's a short somewhere, but I'm at a lost as to where, especially since it only seems to have an issue when warm.
Drove it around 15 miles today, afraid to stop it somewhere as it might not start again. Lucky, when it was acting up after my drive, I had stopped it in the driveway. Let it sit about 20 minutes, and fired right up.
Lotsa folks recommend an extra ground strap from the firewall to the upper intake, that might help. Otherwise maybe starter heat soak making it pull crazy amps when the engines hot.
Like the above response... starter heat soak and the inevitable no start. There is a battery load tester at my shop and I can measure how much amp the starter draws, but I would personally just buy a GOOD starter from a reputable source and install it.
If the starter is old, chances are it's down on power from years of heatsoaking, and replacement may be your best option. There is a thread on here today about replacement with a later model gear reduction starter that you may find interesting.
If the starter is old, chances are it's down on power from years of heatsoaking, and replacement may be your best option. There is a thread on here today about replacement with a later model gear reduction starter that you may find interesting.
Starter is new. It was replaced when I put the 3.4 in it (last year). Has maybe 100 miles on it since putting in the new engine. Obviously I don't drive it much.
I have a later model starter that I had originally bought when I put the new starter in it, but it just never quite fit. I'll check the thread.
No issues replacing the starter if necessary, but given it is pretty much new I'd like to explore other options to mitigate the heat soaking vs a new starter.
Thanks for the help everyone. I put some thermal blanket stuff around the starter and seems to helped quite a bit.
Un-scientific testing in my driveway seemed to yield good results, much quicker starting than it did before when it was warm. No time now to drive it around (I'll get to it this weekend), but at least I know what I'm looking at when/if it has a problem again.
I'm going to explore the small starter again as a long term solution, the starter case was hitting the block when I tried it last time, so not sure if I didn't have the right starter or whatever.
