I have a 79 cutlass with a built 455 in it
the headers are so close to the starter and when I drive for 30 plus minutes and shut car off it does not want to crank cranks maybe once twice
it’s a cvr pro torque starter serial 177331

not sure if wrapping it in heat shield will solve this or what should I do ?

I just bought the car so this is new to me

 

Wrap the exhaust not the starter. A solenoid heat shield will help.
Ensure both secondary cables are good with clean tight connections.
Ensure all grounds are good. Neg cable should be on the block.
Have the starter amp draw tested. The windings in the motor or solenoid may be cooked. The solenoid fails with heat before the starter motor will.
Pull both apart inspect and clean. Grease the rotor shaft, check brushes and the drive etc...

If the carb is getting too hot eliminate that too and this problem will go away.

 

good points

 

After following DrOlds suggestions try this:

The basic issue with hot start difficulty is that heat increases the resistance of the solenoid winding and the long wires that supply it.

The simplest thing to try is wiring a Bosch 30A relay to cut down on the length of the supply wire. Disconnect the purple wire from the starter solenoid and connect it to Bosch terminal 85. Terminal 86 goes to ground with a light-gauge black wire. Connect terminal 30 to the horn relay post with 10 gauge red wire, terminal 87 (10 gauge) goes to the starter solenoid.

This fixes most hot-start problems.

 

Two words - old wires. While I/we often state correctly check connections are tight/secure/clean, the fact is (and well documented) vehicle automotive electrical wires are basically designed to last 15 years. Significant deterioration occurs about the same time. You may (at first) think the wire(s) look great. Wire is made of copper or aluminum (solid or strands). Two words - heat kills. In particular, heat traversing the starter circuit takes the greatest beating (along w/ the ignition system). Internally the wire(s) becomes brittle, lose their metallic bonding & create significantly more resistance primarily as the result of heat. As the metallic bonding degrades, the resistance increases and it's often presented (called) heat soak. Rightfully so - it will soak up as much heat as you can toss at it and it will continue to degrade the metallic bonding. Best case scenario is replace each wire w/ brand new wire. You'll be absolutely amazed at the difference.

 

BTW, buy good automotive wire. There are many vendors who sell automotive wire. Some are complete garbage others supreme and they produce/manufacture wire(s) in almost any color of the rainbow so you can replace w/ good/solid wire(s) with the correct color to match OEM wiring diagram.

 

good idea.
I think the main issue was a header exhaust leak and over time it’s killing the solenoid.
I’ve repaired the leak now I will wrap exhaust and see what happens. Than move on to wiring and starter.
im assuming when these windings break down the solenoid is toast

 

I like beefy wire. My battery cables are sized at 1/0 (both positive & negative). You don't really "throw" power to a starter/solenoid from the battery - that thinking went out the door when we discovered electrons (1897) but a great majority still believe power is supplied through that big old gnarly red positive wire and diagrams/dialogues are still written today which state power is supplied to a system. That is false, but old habits are hard to break. What's really happening is you're completing the return pathway for the electrons from the negative battery post to the positive battery post (for negative ground vehicles) as a result of a difference in electrode (electron) potential. What is my point? That big large ground battery cable to the engine block is significantly important since it "is" what establishes electrode potential between every single device on that huge piece of metal we call a motor vehicle and the return pathway to the positive battery post.

 

"I like big butt (splices) and I cannot lie..."

 

Too funny....

 

I just replaced a starter solenoid and cleaned up the connections. I fixed one I will post here in a bit. I am contemplating new battery cables and a reproduction engine harness in the near future.

 

The red wire got its terminal cut off, stripped, and a new terminal with heat shrink sleeve applied. One can see the giant blue engine block, the solenoid, the pos batt cable, and the three wire harness there. I have a heat shield, not on at time of picture that goes on the other side of the cables, then there is the exhaust pipe. There is not a lot of room.

 

im wrapping my exhaust and adding a heat shield to the exhaust in this area. My headers are way too close to the starter and I bet it just cooks in there. I have a feeling mine has had in reversible damage from heat. But we will see.

 

Move the starter solenoid close to the battery. I am never going under the car again to fix or replace the starter solenoid. Wrap the starter. Never had problems again. I still can not believe why guys want to keep it on the starter. Especially with headers??


DSCF0698

 

That’s my next move.
my battery is in the trunk

 

What is the purpose of the red wire on the R terminal of the solenoid? Does the car have HEI?

 

I do have hei

 

Someone jump in if they disagree but...the inner (closest to the block) solenoid terminal in the pic is the "R" terminal and was only used to supply full battery voltage to a points type coil and only supply that full battery voltage whilst cranking the engine to start. This is why I'm asking what is that red wire to/for on your '79 car with HEI.

 

I have no idea. I just got the car 2 weeks ago and I’m still learning.
thanks for pointing that out
it’s been about 10 years since I had my corvette so the whole distributor timing stuff I forgot

I just read that the Hei is a bit different beast
not sure if you can set timing on it
so far they are made with weights specific for the engine build

 

Setting timing depends upon if the engine has the CCC system or not.
All OEM distributors have weights tailored to the vehicle/engine/transmission combination.
My car has an HEI distributor and I set the timing and modified the mechanical advance (weights, springs, and center bar) for improved performance.

 

how do you set timing on these Hei ?
same as points ? Just rotate it ?

 

Yes.

 

Try to see where/to what the red wire goes?

 

which red wire do you see ?

 

Jeff - Whose picture you looking at? John's (Koda) or the OP's?

 

Great question Norm, my bad. I was looking at Koda's. Good catch thanks!

Sorry 79cut for misleading you.