63- Starter problem??

[Joe C.]

My 63 will start right up. after driving it ( after it warms up) when I shut the car off, and I go to restart car my battery will appear dead. it will not turn over. Then I wait until car cools down awhile- 30 minutes- the car will restart as if there is no problem. I have changed the battery and the problem still persists. Could my starter be going bad ? I had someone tell me from my local NCRS group that becasue there is no shield on the starter cellenoid that heat from the motor affects it and I should put a shield on it (like a 64)- but when I talk to other 63 owners they don't seem to have this problem. Has anyone had this happen? any suggestions to solve this problem.

[Larry S.]

Re: 63- Starter problem??

Joe,
I had a similar problem a few years ago on a '63 and in the end, I had to replace the solenoid on the starter. Might be your first item to consider?

[Timothy B.]

Re: 63- Starter problem??

Joe,

Check with a test light to see if there is power at the solenoid pink wire when holding the key in the start position. If so then check for high resistence in the battery cables or there is a stsrter solenoid issue. The contact plate is easily turned over inside the solenoid as this sometimes gets burnt from electrical contact.

Don't get under the car unless transmission is in neutral and wheels chocked. Have someone else hold key in start position.

Great artical in the restorer about your engine and it's great you saved it.

[Jack H.]

Re: 63- Starter problem??

Starter heat soak IS a known problem potential for Corvette and it's worse than equivalent passenger car situation due to cramped underhood geometry + the use of non-thermally conductive body panels vs. stamped steel to act as heat sink(s) when the engine shuts down.

If you suspect you're fighting a case of starter heat soak, one 'acid' test to confirm/deny is to induce the problem, bath the starter with water from a hose for a BRIEF time and observe the starter now works IMMEDIATELY to crank the engine.

Once you've confirmed to your satisfaction that you have a bona fida starter heat soak situation, these three steps (may have to take all three to lick the problem) generally provide relief:

(1) Install any factory original starter heat shielding components that are missing.

(2) Make sure your starter solenoid is equipped with the correct factory original return spring!

(3) Carefully remove the Bakelite cover on the solenoid and visually verify the condition of the main power stud. They wear with time/use and the good ole boy's rebuild 'trick' is to remove the power stud, flip it 180 degrees and re-install to get onto the unused contact side of the brass stud.

Item #2 is interesting. Return springs pretty much all look alike, but there were very minor differences between those for this application and those for that starter application. The differences deal with thickness/stiffness of the spring's steel, number of winds and overall length.

Most generic starter rebuild kits include a 'fresh new' return springs and guess what, it's typically a middle of the road spring intended for "one fits all" use... If the return spring is too stiff, once the starter has been heat soaked, it may not have sufficient electro-mechanical strength to overcome the return spring's force and engage the starter! Then, when the engine compartment (and the starter + solenoid return spring) cool down, 'magically' there IS enough power to engage the solenoid and spin the starter....

An old GM service bulletin on this topic advised dealership mechanics to cut 1.25-1.5 winds off the existing solenoid return spring to address a starter heat soak situation in the event they didn't have the correct/original return spring available to them to use as a diagnostic....

Cutting the winds effectively shortens the return spring and drops the spring's max return force. This spring modification approach can be effective in home trouble shooting situations as well as roadside emergencies...

[Joe L.]

Re: 63- Starter problem??

My 63 will start right up. after driving it ( after it warms up) when I shut the car off, and I go to restart car my battery will appear dead. it will not turn over. Then I wait until car cools down awhile- 30 minutes- the car will restart as if there is no problem. I have changed the battery and the problem still persists. Could my starter be going bad ? I had someone tell me from my local NCRS group that becasue there is no shield on the starter cellenoid that heat from the motor affects it and I should put a shield on it (like a 64)- but when I talk to other 63 owners they don't seem to have this problem. Has anyone had this happen? any suggestions to solve this problem.

Joe-----


I fought this problem for a VERY long time on my 69, practically from the time it was new (at first, it was very intermittent and hard-to reproduce, so I couldn't get the dealer to fix it under warranty).

I replaced EVERYTHING at least once but nothing permanently resolved the problem. I used to fear turning off the engine on a hot day just to stop and get something to drink at a convenience store.

I finally did resolve it, though, by installing a slave (remote) solenoid. That cured the problem 100%. To this day, I've never had the problem recur-----even on a hot day in Death Valley in July.