Overheat problem..leads to no start...Please help

[M1Accord]

I have had this problem for years with no-start on my 1992 Corolla LE. It would randomly not start but will start when jumped by another vehicle. I have changed the alternator twice, batteries twice, with the current one less than 1 year old and a Costco's most expensive version, and even the starter. I seems that if I drive the car for a long period of time and turn the car off, it will not start if I try to do so a minute or two later. Often it will start if I just wait for an hour or so. It will start if it's jump by another vehicle, preferly a car with larger battery.

I have had the battery, starter, and alternator tested by Advance Auto Part, AutoZone, and even Sears and they don't really know what's wrong with it. Originally, I thought maybe there is a drain somewhere, killing my battery. However but the car can sit for days and start right back up but it won't start after being driven on highway for hours.

Can anyone help?

Is there an easy way to install a secondary batter, which would be significantly larger to use as a jump box. The reason I ask is that most jump boxes under 100 dollars are useless. I had 2 from Walmart and they never seem to work, even after constantly being charge and recharge every day. Even the new one don't work that well. I kept my Honda Accord's 8 years old battery, which gave me no problem but I replaced it anyway just in case. It tends to not hold charge that well being outside the car because I need to charge it just about every week. I tried to use it as a jump box once but that didn't really work.

Please help.

The temperature gauge doesn't indicate that ther car overheat but the engine bay is very hot. The 2 fans in the engine bay work. Coolant was changed 4 years ago using Preston 100k miles version and the car has seen 40k miles since.

 

[M1Accord]

I almost missed an important job interview yesterday when I pull over to call the receptionist to ask for a good place to park. After being driven for 2 hrs and 70 miles, it won't start.

The fellow at AAP indicates that some older cars such as mine has issue when the weather gets hot.

 

[Chris142]

Bad winding in the starter motor. When it gets hot the winding opens up and the starter does not have the power to spin the engine over. Unfortunatly most rebuilders do not test parts hot so many times the defective windings get put back into another starter and sold.

Adding a 2nd battery adds amperage and it may have enough to spin the engine over.

 

[hypervish]

I agree bad winding within the starter motor. Replace it, but make sure its an OEM part like made by Denso and you'll be good for many, many, many more miles and starts. lol

 

[M1Accord]

Thank you for the suggestion. Can I get Pep Boys to replace it using OEM part or they just going to put another rebuild in there.

 

[Chris142]

I guess they could order one from the dealer if you request it. Might want to call and ask them.

 

[1345]

My cherokee has been having a hard time starting after it is hot. I am going to buy a large guage battery wire harness to replace the stock ones.

 

[StevieC]

Where is your starter located?

The reason I ask is because in my 89 Cabriolet it's located by the exhaust manifold and the heat causes the starter to draw more amps than are available and it won't start.

I fixed this by installing a Tractor starter solenoid that when triggered by the ignition switch connects the starter directly to the battery positive feed using a thick thick wire and provides maximum amperage for starting and this overrides the problem with the starter being too hot to start the vehicle.

Like you it would only happen when the car was hot and had been driven for a while and would restart no problem when the car was jumped with another vehicle.

Drove my dad and I nuts and I replaced the battery, alternator and starter in frustration.

I felt your pain and maybe this was why... So I could help you!

PM me if you want to know how to do this for your application, it should be simple as mine was...

Either that or check to make sure your engine isn't running too hot. Eg: Thermostat is weak or the radiator is plugged up, the Waterpump isn't efficient or the temperature sensor isn't turning on the fans at the right temperature and/or running the engine hot by running it lean on fuel mixture.

Steve

 

[garlicbreadman]

http://www.2carpros.com/forum/1992-toyot...t-vt161184.html

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Where is your starter located?

The reason I ask is because in my 89 Cabriolet it's located by the exhaust manifold and the heat causes the starter to draw more amps than are available and it won't start.

I fixed this by installing a Tractor starter solenoid that when triggered by the ignition switch connects the starter directly to the battery positive feed using a thick thick wire and provides maximum amperage for starting and this overrides the problem with the starter being too hot to start the vehicle.

Like you it would only happen when the car was hot and had been driven for a while and would restart no problem when the car was jumped with another vehicle.

Drove my dad and I nuts and I replaced the battery, alternator and starter in frustration.

I felt your pain and maybe this was why... So I could help you!

PM me if you want to know how to do this for your application, it should be simple as mine was...

Either that or check to make sure your engine isn't running too hot. Eg: Thermostat is weak or the radiator is plugged up, the Waterpump isn't efficient or the temperature sensor isn't turning on the fans at the right temperature and/or running the engine hot by running it lean on fuel mixture.

Steve


Good info Stevie. I'm not all that familiar with the OP's engine, but back in the day I had my fair share of US domestics moan and groan lacking the juice to start a hot engine. An improperly timed engine was the cause more than once. That can also cause running hot and overheating.

 

[StevieC]

M1Accord PM'ed me for the info and I sent him how to do it.. It's quite simple and very effective.

When I did this in the past for my VW and other cars that suffer from this problem I used a 12 volt Tractor starter solenoid or 1990-1995 Ford Tempo solenoid as these are both inexpensive and easy to hook up.

You just take the positive wire off the starter and put it as the "Trigger" wire on the solenoid (usually the thin of the 3 terminals)

Then you run a thick wire to the solenoid from the starter and one from the battery. Make sure the wire thickness is the same or thicker than the wire you took off the starter to put on the trigger wire of the solenoid.

Then make sure the solenoid is bolted to a non-metal surface or on the engine/transmission somewhere as it needs to be grounded to work properly and that's it.

It's simple and effective. When you turn the key to the "Start" position the current travels to the solenoid and it triggers a direct connection between the battery and the starter providing maximum amperage for starting.

When an engine is extremely cold it draws a lot of amps to start the engine and when the starter is extremely hot it will do the same in some starters and this is why this seems to work.

Steve

 

[duaneb9729]

Is it possible that one of the injectors is leaking into the engine, and after sitting a bit, long enough to find some one to jump start the car, the fuel evaporates enough to allow the engine to turn over?

 

[Eddie]

i WOULD START CLEANING AND CHECK ALL GROUND WIRES AND CONNECTIONS. Remove them one by one, sand paper and reattach. Marginal grounds can cause a lot of weird problems. Ed

 

[StevieC]

That is a good idea however seeing as the engine stops at different positions all the time the cylinder or cylinders with the leaky injector filling up the cylinder with fuel and causing hydro-locking would do so and allow maybe a half turn of the starter to the point at which that cylinder reaches TDC and then it would stop.

If this was happening he would have massive fuel dilution as well and might even have heightening oil level because of the excess fuel in the oil. Plus I'm sure the engine wouldn't be running that great with an injector that bad.

He isn't getting anything, it's dead. That suggests to me a power related issue.

 

[mechtech2]

Old Chevy V8s had metal shields on the starters to keep the ambient exhaust heat away. This heat increases electrical resistance, and caused poor starter performance.
See if this is a problem with your car, and make a shield - it will help.
Or, your starter may be faulty or a poor design.
Clean ALL the cables at BOTH ends, and where they SEAT nice and shiny. Check for undersized cables and corrosion or high resistance. Many factory cables are marginally sized when new, and go downhill from thee due to increase resistance .
There is not much there, so concentrate on these things.

 

[StevieC]

My VW has a heat shield on the starter and exhaust and it doesn't work, but that is a good idea.

I also like the idea of cleaning all the connections to be sure!

 

[Eddie]

Post back when you fix the problem. Others may be having the same problem.

 

[M1Accord]

I have not fixed the problem yet. I just either don't turn off the car for things that takes less than 5 minutes or be prepared to not use the car for about an hour if I do stop to allow the car to cool down. I need to find the Pep Boys receipt because they installed the starter. I like to be able to get some credit twoard a new factory starter that would not have issue. Other than this severe problem, the car is very reliable. This is scary because if the car doesn't start in an emergency, I can see a potential loss of life. For example, if I go into the store and there is a shooting, I want to be able to run out and get out of their. If my car won't start, I will be stuck and screwed. The situation is rare but it is not impossible. It witness gun point robbery before at a gas station. I bailed out when I saw a gunman went in the store.

 

[tdpark]

Check the ignition relay as well. My wife had a civic that had a bad ignition relay that would not work when it was hot- was a known issue for that vintage but it sounds like it could be the relay going bad.

 

[M1Accord]

Just got off the phone with [censored] Boys and they said they can't me in the system for the Corolla but when I gave my name in addition to my phone number, they found a 2001 Honda. It suppose to be 2002. Basically, they don't keep these record so they don't have to warranty the parts. That will teach me to keep receipt for longer than 2 years.

I can't get new starter for this one so it looks like I may have to take it back to [censored] Boys and keep the receipt this time.

Originally Posted By: tdpark
Check the ignition relay as well. My wife had a civic that had a bad ignition relay that would not work when it was hot- was a known issue for that vintage but it sounds like it could be the relay going bad.



How do I check ignition relay?

I would feel bad selling this car because I don't want someone to get into trouble when the car won't start for them to take their wife to delivery, kids to SAT exams, or job interview. It left me stranded for job interview and got me in some stupid trouble 4 years ago. Nobama didn't want this fuel efficient for the Cash For Clunker.