Bad Starting Ford FE390 when warm - need help !

[Stephan427SC]

Hi guys,
I have a Ford FE390 stroked to 445 cui....when the engine warmed up and I Need to restart the engine after a short stop, my starter is not able to rev the engine....starter Solenoid is "Klacking" and nothing happens.....

Any idea ?

I use a PC1200 Odyssey battery and a starter-Solenoid in the positive cable from the battery. Engine is grounded to Frame.....

Best,

Stephan

[jhv48]

Is this a new problem or an ongoing one? Test your battery first. Is it fully charged?

Check it at the poles with a multimeter.

If it checks out with a full charge, then we'll offer up more suggestions.

[Stephan427SC]

The battery is all new and fully loaded.
I bought the cobra from another guy and he told me that he had the same problem....

[jhv48]

If it's an FFR, the battery cables are probably undersized.

This was a common problem with quite a few replicas.

[Stephan427SC]

Its a Kirkham...they use really thick cables....

[rustyBob]

what starter does it have ???
the huge 50 pound basic FE starter or a gear reduction starter ?

[lovehamr]

My huge starter recently started giving me the same problem. Thought it was the battery at first but it tested fine. Picked up another one from O'Rielly's with a warrantee, popped it in and no more problems. Rotates my 10.7 to 1 462FE with no problem.

[jhv48]

The starter is the next suspect!

[DanEC]

It could be a weak starter solenoid or relay - probably affected by heat. If you can find a starter and alternator repair shop (kind of rare these days) they can probably trouble shoot it for you. You should check the voltage while actually cranking over the engine as this is a better test of a battery versus static voltage. I forget the exact standard but I think the voltage should stay up around 10-1/2 volts or higher if the battery is good. If it's dropping to 6 or 7 volts the battery has a bad cell or internal short.

[Gaz64]

Check the cranking voltage at the battery, and then at the starter motor.

Result will tell you which way to go.

[Dominik]

You could mark your distributor, retard it by 10 deg and see if you can start then.
If you can, your advance is too early at start/idle.

Get somebody to assist in setting the timing properly! It can destroy your engine.

[Ron61]

Another thing to look at is to make sure that your starter isn't getting heat soaked or to hot. Is it near a header? If so then try some insulation between the starter and the headers. They make a starter wrap type insulation that some people have used with good results.

Ron

[blown]

Check your carb and see if its not getting heat soaked you may need a phenolic spacer these new carbs have a bad issue doing that they get heat soaked and boil over when you shut it off and that makes for a hard start issue. also check the advance on your distributor that it isn't stuck in advance try removing the coil wire and crank it if it cranks good then its timming.

[Dominik]

Good point is cranking without ignition. I actually had the two circuits seperate.
I could turn over the engine and then switch on ignition to start it.

In diagnosis we must differ between cranking and starting the engine!