Subject: Re: Hard Starting When Hot
Author: Patrick Hayes
Date: Aug 28, 2005, 11:19 AM
Post ID: 1719358520
Ken Smith wrote:
| a 20 minute cooling off period. I am suspecting the battery, but I would like to hear any other comments or suggestions before I replace it. It looks like a garden tractor battery, so I may not have enough cranking amps. The starter cranks over fine when hot. |
Well, those last two sentences don't add up. If it didn't have enough
cranking amps, then it wouldn't "turn over fine" when hot. Please tell
us more about this not starting when hot. Describe the symptoms. It
cranks fast but won't ignite? It cranks fast and then suddenly slows or
stops cranking? Might be valves are too tight. When did you last
torque the heads and when did you last adjust the valves? What valve
settings are you using? What ignition timing are you using? Remember,
the ignition curve was designed when we had nice 95 Premium gas. If you
use regular or the modern, lower octane premium then you are too far
advanced and need to back off the distributor.
| I also have a #1 cylinder head oil leak that hasn't been stopped with new gaskets. Looks like it's coming from under the first fin below the valvle cover and not from under the valve cover. If it was a cast iron head I might suspect a cracked head, but ... |
Likely it is the cover plug for the top center head bolt. There are two
versions, one has an o-ring that gets old and hard and stops sealing.
The other version has an aluminum crush washer that likes to have some
sealant applied to the aluminum surfaces. Which do you have?
Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA