Couple of questions

[tim wragg]

OK, nothing major, but I have a couple of things on my '98 450 I would like to sort out:

Car wont turn over when it is hot, no problem when cold or been stood for an hour, must be the "hot start problem". Is the only fix a new startor motor?

Also

a very small pool of water under the expansion tank when I put the car away when it has been on a reasonably long run. Is the tank just breathing? Must not be loosing much as I have only had to top it up once in 12 months. Is it normal?

thanks

[peter miller]

If your starter turns over ok when cold, but after stopping when hot refuses to turn over until cooled down, then fires up as usual, It suggests it is the common hot start problem that you are experiencing.

The hot start kit can be purchased from Modwise, costs around £20, and should cure this problem without the need to replace the starter motor. You should be able to fit the kit in less than an hour and that includes understanding the wiring diagram supplied.You will also find installation advice and pictures on these forums if you do a search.

As far as the water loss problem you are having, you could check the cap is both sealing correctly, and operating at the correct pressure. also are you sure it is not just throwing the excess coolant out and finding its own level, which may only be a couple of inches deep in the expansion bottle.

[softtop]

peter miller said:

The hot start kit can be purchased from Modwise, costs around £20, and should cure this problem without the need to replace the starter motor. You should be able to fit the kit in less than an hour and that includes understanding the wiring diagram supplied.You will also find installation advice and pictures on these forums if you do a search.

As long as you accept this as a temporary solution....

[Red V8]

Let the water find its own level, so long as there is water visible that is...

[theaxe]

softtop said:

peter miller said:

The hot start kit can be purchased from Modwise, costs around £20, and should cure this problem without the need to replace the starter motor. You should be able to fit the kit in less than an hour and that includes understanding the wiring diagram supplied.You will also find installation advice and pictures on these forums if you do a search.

As long as you accept this as a temporary solution....

I'm not sure I'd put it that way, it's a perminant solution to the wiring in the Chim not being as good as it should be but a temporary solution if your starter motor is on it's way out.

My starter motor worked like a trooper even on very cold hot days but I had the hot-start problem. Adding the kit totally solved the problem even in 35+ degree Italian heat.

Edited by theaxe on Friday 13th October 23:10

[peter miller]

softtop said:

peter miller said:

The hot start kit can be purchased from Modwise, costs around £20, and should cure this problem without the need to replace the starter motor. You should be able to fit the kit in less than an hour and that includes understanding the wiring diagram supplied.You will also find installation advice and pictures on these forums if you do a search.

As long as you accept this as a temporary solution....

I have experienced this problem with both my Chimaeras in the past, and on each occasion when starting in even the coldest conditions where the oil is thicker and needs a lot of cranking energy they have performed faultlessly, managing to turn the engine over rapidly and quickly firing the engine to life,then as soon as it was hot (eg stopping after a long run or in traffic for a while)it would show no sign of life until left for up to half an hour, which by then it would have cooled down enough to start as normal.

The main thing to notice with this problem is that you will not hear the click from the solonoid to engage the motor, because the existing wiring restricts the current to the solonoid not allowing enough for it to engage the motor. These are not the symptoms of a failing starter motor.

The Modwise kit adds a relay and heavier wiring to the system to allow the extra current to operate the solonoid when hot, and therefore cures this particular issue perminently.

PS. I am no auto electrician, its just the way I see it........

[softtop]

The last two posts are right. In me simplifying the issue some of the detal is missed. The Axe is correct, and you need to know why the problem occured in the first place.

[softtop]

The last two posts are right. In me simplifying the issue some of the detal is missed. The Axe is correct, and you need to know why the problem occured in the first place.

[tim wragg]

so is the easier fix a new starter motor, certainly dont feel confident in doing some wiring mods, did it once and got in a real mess. I see in the ads someone is selling a brand new starter motor for £100 which if I am correct should solve the problem anyway?

[peter miller]

Tim,

You may or may not need a new starter motor, if you disconnect the ht lead from the coil, and as long as the battery is in good condition and fully charged, you are able to turn the engine over for a few times of up to 10 seconds in quick succession without any noticable drop in cranking speed it would be a crude test but would suggest the starter is ok.
A new starter may temporarily improve the situation, as it will obviously be cleaner and less gummed up inside, so the solonoid may operate on the current available with the existing wiring.(when I had this problem on my first car before I was aware of the wiring issue I stripped the starter cleaned it up and left some light oil in the solonoid itself, and along with wrapping the whole lot in a heat reflecting wrap cured the problem.
So even if you go down the road of a new starter it may be wise to firstly fit the modwise kit. It is not difficult and there is lots of help on this site, and it may save you the £100 you are about to fork out on a starter, only to find it does not improve the situation.

Edited by peter miller on Saturday 14th October 11:43

[theaxe]

tim wragg said:

so is the easier fix a new starter motor, certainly dont feel confident in doing some wiring mods, did it once and got in a real mess. I see in the ads someone is selling a brand new starter motor for £100 which if I am correct should solve the problem anyway?

Fitting the hot-start kit is much easier than fitting a new starter motor! It's a 20 min job tops.

I found the instructions a bit tricky so I created this page to make it easier for others.

[That Daddy]

sorry peter miller, never under any circumstances should you crank the car with no HT lead plugged in to the coil if the spark jumps onto the - low tension connection the chances are you will blow the ignition module,you will get away with this on a points system only.for cranking purposes just unplug the low tension terminal on the + side of the coil,but you had the right idea.

[peter miller]

As I said, "I am no auto electrician"

[GTvr]

2 months ago fitted a hotstart mod to my car, big thanks to the AXE for posting the instructions as the ones from modwise were poo.
Don't get me wrong it a good product and a must for Chimaera/Griffiths but just bin the original instructions and print off a copy from www.chimaerapages.com

[That Daddy]

peter thats cool,still a good reply though.