Hot Start Problem
 

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[This message has been edited by pbanders (edited 04-20-2001).]

Brad:

I know that this will sound simplistic, bit have you had the starter selenoid checked? Sounds like that may be the culprit. Since the starter and selenoid rest right up against the tranny and are surrounded by exhaust components the heat may over time effect the selenoid (not to mention 30 years of use) The starter and selenoid aren't hard to remove and then you can haul the whole thing to a local battery/charging system shop (even Kragan or Chief can bench test it. Just make sure you find the one guy in the store who knows what they are doing!)

Good Luck!


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Herb
'72 1.7 Tangerine 'Teen
'74 2.0 Red Rustmobile

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[This message has been edited by pbanders (edited 04-20-2001).]

Some will say the "right" way is to check every connection between the battery, switch, and starter to find where the voltage is dropping. Good enough I guess, but if the problem is due to aging wires and not mechanical fault, who wants to start cutting into the wiring harness.

From what I have seen on many different cars shows that maybe the factory didn't do it "right" in the first place. Manufactures such as Toyota and Honda, known for reliability and longevity, put a relay in the starting system between the switch and starter. Even the 914 has a relay between the fog light switch and the lights so high amperage doen't go through the switch. So why run a large gauge wire from the batter to the switch and back to the starter which has a large lead from the battery to begin with.

My solution is to include what is commonly referred to as a "hot start relay". You don't even have to buy the kit. In place of a bosch relay, my favorite is to use a Ford starter solenoid. They are cheap and availible at any parts store.

The mounting ear goes to ground, wire from starter switch goes to the Ford sylinoid activation terminal (S) (the R terminal is to bypass an external ballast resistor and is unused), wire from large battery terminal on starter to large terminal on solenoid, wire from other large terminal on solenoid to terminal were the wire from the starter switch was connected.

If mounted in a good location, the appearence is clean and its function is very effective.

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Chris
75 914 2.0L

I agree. I had the exact same problem and one of those hot start relays did the trick.

I agree. I had the exact same problem and one of those hot start relays did the trick.



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Joe
74 Yellow 1.8L 914
72 Tangerine NoL 914
http://pages.sssnet.com/jkaull

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[This message has been edited by pbanders (edited 04-20-2001).]