81 Corolla doesn't start sometimes when hot

[Sedin26]

I have an 81 Corolla that runs and starts well when cold. Often, it also starts and runs fine when hot. Sometimes, though, when it is hot (i.e. after driving for a while) it won't crank and there is no clicking at all - nothing happens. The electrical accessories get power but the starting circuit seems dead.

When this happens, we need to wait 30 minutes or so and then it starts up fine again. Any ideas?

 

[oggb]

Starter? Starter solenoid? These are the obvious things to check.

The wiring between the key switch and the starter solenoid could do this as well, perhaps a bad relay too.

 

[chad8]

I own a couple corollas and they USUALLY do this when the starter contacts are beginning to go bad.
go on corollaland and ask fishexop101 what he thinks. He is the guru on older models

 

[tomcat27]

FWIW, that has been my experience also

 

[JamesBond]

I had a '95 Camry (I realize its different from your Corolla, but still...) that had problems starting when hot. Starting after 5 min at the gas station worked fine, 20 min at the store, and it wouldn't start. Always started when cold and never died while driving. Turns out one of the parts in the distributor had no continuity after sitting and heat soaking but if you waited 15 minutes with the hood open, it would start right back up and run fine. I ended up having to buy a reman. distributor from Autozone, because I couldn't find a way to buy just the part.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: JamesBond
I had a '95 Camry (I realize its different from your Corolla, but still...) that had problems starting when hot. Starting after 5 min at the gas station worked fine, 20 min at the store, and it wouldn't start. Always started when cold and never died while driving. Turns out one of the parts in the distributor had no continuity after sitting and heat soaking but if you waited 15 minutes with the hood open, it would start right back up and run fine. I ended up having to buy a reman. distributor from Autozone, because I couldn't find a way to buy just the part.

My dad's 1997 Lexus ES300 did the same thing, and the mechanic called it "A dead coil."

The only solution was to get a reman starter.

I only recommend reman Denso starters or independent rebuilders, because most auto part stores sell starters that rarely last more than 2 years, and often faill immediately after being installed.

 

[mechtech2]

Heat is increasing resistance. Could be wires, connections, or the starter itself.