Hey everyone this is my first post. I have a 67 camaro that i'm trying to get it running correctly and some problems have come up that have me a bit stumped. It is a 327 motor with automatic transmission and what is going on is starting problems.

Originally what happened is the battery kept getting drained and just dieing, well the starter was the cause and replaced the starter and the battery problems are resolved. An issue that has still come up though is sometimes not all the time but sometimes when turning the key you can hear it come out and hit the flywheel but it wont turn the motor over. Would mainly happen when the engine was warm. The starter didn't have a shim on it so shimmed it to about 32 thousandths to test it and for like 2 weeks it has been fine. Would start when cold warm or whatever just have some other issues have been hammering out.

Well today went out there after the car had been running a while and cooled off to start it again ironically was going to go on a test drive. Well that problem that i thought i had resolved came up again, can just hear it hit the flywheel but wont turn the motor, turn the key back and forth a couple of times and of course eventually it would get it.

I'm just trying to get ideas for things to check since it is a brand new starter and hope this is the correct place to post this, any help would be appreciated.

 

Could be you have an intermittent ignition switch, or another bad starter (bad commutator possibly), or bad contacts on the solenoid which can prevent full current to be applied to the starter motor. You can check the current drawn by the starter with a clamp on meter. Too small a draw = low power, too large a draw=excessive load on the starter. Also, as quick check, try starting with the headlights on, the lights should dim momentarily and recover. If they blink out the starter is working too hard, if they stay bright the starter is not drawing enough current, not very scientific but it works. Also make sure both ends of the battery cables are clean and tight.

 

Ok i did the headlight test, the lights dim during starting and come back bright after it starts so that looks good. Anyone have any other ideas or anyone else have any ideas?

 

An update on my problem i did some test driving today and it did fine, after got it warmed up and was driving the car for a while it did fine, i pulled it back in cut it off and started it a few times, it was definitely a weaker start than when it is cold but might not have the shim completely right, after about 30 minutes sitting there i went back out to recreate the problems and the motor was just having a real hard time starting, have to turn the key and hold it for a few seconds and wouldn't do it and then a few times just heard the starter hit the flywheel but wouldn't even turn it. Very strange issue and i can't figure out what the deal is i mean the car just acts like it doesn't want me driving it lol

 

Sounds like you might be having a heat-soak problem.
Do you have headers, or stock exhaust manifolds?
Do you still have the starter heat shield on, or has it been taken off because it was only put there to look "ugly"?
One mistake that a lot of people make when replacing the starter is leaving the heat shield off. It's there from the factory for a reason.
Do you have good negative battery-to-engine-to-frame cable connections?

 

Thank you for your reply and ideas.

I do have headers on the car they are long tube headers. Now i know the heads are aftermarket this car was taken apart and put back together by my dad in 1996 was my brother's car for a while and i got it from him because he was letting it rot under a tree for a few years so trying to get this car the attention it deserves.

Now the heat shield that is a good question i don't recall there being one on there before but that might have been something that was taken off the car by owners before me or my brother.

I will double check the grounds and check on a heat shield and will post any results thank you very much for the info.

 

i had the exact same issues with my car. installed a heat shield that i bought and no more starting probs. i installed headers and too much heat was being absorbed by the starter solenoid. new battery cables is also recommeded.

 

Good to know frostlime69, thank you again camaro 69 and z28pete for all of your help i'm going to get a heat shield on it in the next couple of days hopefully and i will post back and let you guys know if it took care of it, i'm pretty sure it will because it totally makes sense as to why it wont start after 30 minutes or so of sitting there cause all that heat off the headers and everything and the car isn't moving to get some air back there.

 

Just wanted to post a reply and say today i got the heat shield stuff on the starter and the car started great! After i let it sit in for about 20-30 minutes after getting it good and warm went out there to start it and it started just like it does when it is a cold engine, thank you everyone for the help i'm going to keep testing it and keep an eye on that, also here soon i will post up some pics it is definitely a project because so much needs to be cleaned up and replaced and stuff but hey its a 67 lol

 

please post some pics. its fun to see some original unrestored cars. my cars a "50 footer", and its not been restored. cant afford it, yet...