Hot starting

[The Baron]

Hi everyone

I've always had a problem starting the car after the MOT. Last year it was push started backwards and I ran over someone who got themselves between the wheels!!!
I've read elsewhere that this might be a battery issue. Not strong enough??
Can someone explain why this might be the case?
Not sure what the battery is from but its hardly small.
Also the starter motor runs on when restarting when the car is hot. Any ideas?

[adithorp]

Remind us what your motor is and the symptoms of it not starting (doesn't turn over/turns over slow/flies over but doesn't fire?).

Common causes of poor hot starting (often slow turning) are dodgy starter, poor starter/flywheel alignment (could be if it sticks in), poor main earth or live connection, too much ignition advance.

[The Baron]

Hi Adi

Its has a Mk2 Golf Gti 1.8ltr engine running on Twin 45 Dellortos.
The alternator is close to the exhaust but has a heat shield between them.
She's fine when running but refuses to start when the MOT examiner has turned her off at the end of the test. MOT is the only time it happens!!
I keep telling them to blip the throttle to clear the engine but they never do. They leave her running on tick over which it doesn't like on long periods too much.
It just wont even try to turn over. Just a clicking but nothing other than that.
There sometimes is an over run of the starter motor when starting when hot but it starter fine normally.

[adithorp]

Strange one then and difficult to simulate the conditions in order to test.

I'd guess it's a heat soak related due to lack of air-flow around the engine. The click will be the starter solenoid engaging but for some reason that's not trigering the main motor to turn; Heat expantion could be affecting a connection.
First to check would be the main earths between engine and chassis/battery. If you can replicate the problem and get it to fail to start, then try a jump lead direct from starter body to battery negative; If it then turns, you've found the problem. Take the leads off, clean both faces and refit with some anti- corrotion grease. If it doesn't help try the lead between main supply and battery +ve.
After that you're probably looking at a starter fault (iffy contacts in the solenoid?).

[The Baron]

Cheers

When the rest of it is back together I will have a go.
The time before I ran over the person jump starting me we had it hooked up to a spare battery to get it going and she fired straight up!
Heat has to be a factor because like I said its only at MOT time when its been just sat there not getting any air to/over/through it.

[RobMsport]

The ecu on mine will simply shut down the fuel/ignition even though the engine can be spun round , if the battery isn't totally full power . A bit confusing the first time it happened as the starter whizzed it round easily. I use a HD jumper now for it's first(at least)starts , so that consequent starts aren't a problem. Check the battery's giving at least 12.8 when warm or after several stop starts , mine shuts down if below 12.5 . That could just be my Dunnell ecu though.

[The Baron]

ECU??? What's one of those Rob?????