vetteboyc5

iTrader: (9)

I Recently finished my 408 build in my 99 c5 corvette. All is looking well - but I'm having a issue cranking over the engine when its hot.

Its just like trying to start a car with a near dead battery. It cools down for a minute or two and itll crank right over. The engine is a Iron block, with a eagle crank and rods, wiseco pistons, Steel rings gapped for a nitrous application. 11:5:1 Compression. First start up went smooth, No noises at all, Oil pressure Is great.

I noticed -as the pistons with the steel rings went in one by one the rotating force defiately got harder. Could My problem be the engine is no where near broken in yet? Its only got 20 miles on it. Ive never used steel rings before only stock rings.

The Battery Is new, and the engine has double grounds so It shouldnt be a ground issue.
- Headers are wrapped, so Im not sure the starter would be getting heat soaked.. Is there any way to diagnose that for sure?

Id hate to think the starter- which is all original cant handle the task because that means pulling the long tube off to get to it. If so, How strong is the stock starter? Im thinking of getting a MSD high torque, they say its got a 3hp motor on it

any ideas for me

02402RAMAIR

iTrader: (8)

Stock starter should work fine. Does the motor labor to stay idling when hot. Good oil pressure? Did you gap the rings?

vetteboyc5

iTrader: (9)

The car is not tuned, It wont idle on its own. It has a mail order tune untill i can bring it to the tuner. It will cruise fine down the road but it wont idle.

Oil pressure is 60lbs when cold, 40 when hot- Both are crusing at 1800rpm.

Rings are gapped for nitrous specs according to the weisco ring instructions that came with the piston

Damian

iTrader: (89)

Anthony you shouldn't need a fancy starter for a 11.5:1 comp 408. The car is a 99 and I think you have over 100K on it right? The stock starter may just be finally giving up.

If a new starter doesn't fix it, possibly checking cranking compression #'s when the engine is warm. If they're ridiculously high, I could see that causing a starting issue with a stock geared starter.

Good luck, hope all is well with you.

KCFormula

iTrader: (4)

Your starter should be fine for your compression. I run a stock one with almost 15:1. It could be the heat from the header affecting it. Try to wrap the header with some heat wrap and see if that helps.

mark21742

Where is your battery? Check all your main hot and grounds. You might be getting a lot of heat into your starter or wire from the headers if you don't have a good heat sheild and sleeve on the power wire running down to the starter.
When I moved my battery to the trunk it would crank fine and start fine cold, but when hot (shut it of, get gas ) it would barely crank over like the battery was dead. Added a second chassis ground and put a better starter heat sheild in and the problem went away

vetteboyc5

iTrader: (9)

Your right the car has 137K and everything is replaced except the starter lol. Honestly the Msd starter is barely more than a good stock stater(No autozone reman for me lol) I might give it a shot and check it out.

To the other people The car has wrapped headers already, I wrapped them when the engine was out, and Ive added a large second ground to the engine. The battery is in the stock location on the Right front near the firewall.