I'm having trouble starting my 86 Camaro drag/street car...... sometimes. It starts great dead cold, pump it twice hit the key and it starts. Sometimes when it's warmed up it starts fine, sometimes it will spin 3 or 4 times and start slowing down till it barely turns over, like a weak battery does. It's a 540 with about 14.6 compression. I've tried different methods, not touching the throttle, giving it a pump, cracking the throttle. Nothing works consistently, it starts great one time anyway you do it or crappy, no pattern. So far it has always started, but going up through the lanes at times it worries me to death.

I have a brand new yellow top optima, huge fine stranded welding cable all the way to the starter, a smaller fine stranded cable to the alternator (big as most battery cables). Powermaster XS 200flbs #9500 Starter, East Coast 110amp 1-wire Alternator (maintains 13-13.8 at idle with everything running), MSD 7AL3, distibutor locked out 40º total. I still use the factory key to start it, no aftermarket switch panel. With the 7AL3 built-in start retard hooked up it takes out 25º and it starts horribly, wants to spit throught the carb, I think it takes out to much timing. I hooked up one of the extra retards to the starter wire so I can take out timing by a chip when cranking. I have a 18º degree chip in it right now, I've tried a 10º and it doesn't seem to make much difference either way.

I don't know what else to do.

I'm think about trying a 16 Volt Battery. Not sure which to get, AGM "The V", the Powermaster or the Turbo Start.

Question 1.
If I just change to a 16 volt battery only. Can I leave my 12 volt alternator hooked up as is? I know it will not charge it, cause it only puts out max 14.5 volts. I will charge it with 16 Volt Charger, before a race or between rounds if needed. If I can leave the 12 volt Alternator hooked up as normal I can just change batteries for street use with rewiring anything?

Question 2. If I put a 16 Volt Battery & 16 Volt Alternator (puts out 18 volts to charge) I'll have to rewire alot of the car so I don't fry any of my electrical components. What components will survive the higher voltage? I'm pretty sure my Magnaflow 500 pump, Meziere water pump, 7AL-3 and my delay box will work with the higher voltage. Wonder if a factory electric fan will survive. What would happen if I tried it without any step down voltage? Would it fry my wiring, shoot all my bulbs? headlights? turnsignals? The whole car brust into flames or what?

 

Everything will work fine with the 16 volt. The only problem you will have is light bulbs. They tend to burn out faster with the 16 volt. you will need a 16 volt alternator but otherwise youwill be fine. I would go with the "dry" (agm) battery.

 

Thanks. I may wait till next spring since I only have a few more races to go to this season. 16 volts looks like the way to go.

 

Thought I'd update this thread.

I made the 16 Volt switch and I couldn't be happier!

I got "The V" 16 Volt AGM battery, the deluxe 12/16 volt charger, East Coast 110 amp 16 Volt Alternator.

The car starts better than it ever did, cranks like the spark plugs are out. Hot or cold it does matter, starts better than any hi-compression drag car I've ever had. Battery has close to 17 volts, running it puts out around 19.5. Hard to tell exactly with the volt guage only going to 18, haven't hooked up my digital tester to see yet.

I didn't rewire anything or step the voltage down for anything. I made a couple of test passes Saturday night and raced Sunday (2nd round redlight). I haven't used the charger yet, alternator seems to be doing it's thing. My gauge lights and dome light are sure bright I didn't burn out any bulbs yet, ran the headlights driving to the staging lanes Sat night.

I had to lower the fuel pressure because the pump was spinning so much faster. The car ran cooler because of the water pump and fan spinning faster and it didn't run hot before. The fan sounds like a freaking tornado now, I use the factory 86 Camaro electric fan.

Ran the fastest 1/8 mile pass I'd ever ran on the motor, 5.880 @ 118.36, in bad air even. I only have 11 passes on the new 540, I need to jet the carb up and play with the timing, I think it's a little lean now. In good air and a better tune I hope to get it in the 5.70's and the high 8's 1/4.

The next project is a vacuum pump.

 

what type of extra costs are associated with switching to a 16volt set up? Once my car gets back from the chassis shop redoing the wireing is on my list of things to do. Im gonna starting with nothing and buying all new components, batteries, alternator etc, Im going to trim down and reuse the stock wireing harness under the hood and in the dash.

Will the stock stuff hold up to the extra voltage aside from bulbs and stuff.? All of the ignition and stuff should hold up fine tho right?


thanks,
-john