hard start after warm up

[Tempest Dave]

My 64 tempest starts hard after eng temp reaches 185-200. aftermarket 4 barrel edelbrock with no phenolic spacer on manifold. Don't think its vapor lock but a heat issue between carb and intake manifold. Also has an intermittent click and no start, maybe solenoid ? or another heat issue with exhaust ?  Bought new OEM coil today from Napa and will try replacing factory (52 year old) coil. Any help is extremely appreciated. Thank You

[Last Indian]

Welcome! What kind of carb? Rochester? Both holleys  & Rochesters as they age have a tendency for the jets to leak when the engine is hot, due to expansion. Than there are the other usual suspects, timing, plugs or wires, etc. 
How long after shut down does it take to occur, does it only happen when hot?

 

[Tempest Dave]

Edelbrock performer 4bbl. Happens right away after temp reaches 185-200. If motor cools, no problems. Starter turns strong hot or cold. Thank you for your interest. 

[Last Indian]

Well if it happens immediately, as in turn off the engine and 1 minute later it is hard to start? If this is the case you need to run a compression test both hot and cold. Your description is typical for worn engines. 

[Last Indian]

Also the clicking you spoke of would be the solenoid, due to any of the following. Bad connection/corrosion in negative or positive circuits, including the internals of the solenoid or just a bad solenoid.

[TWO LANE BLACK TOP]

Would agree with last Indian most likely starter solenoid going bad..Possibly an old battery with dead cell or two..Would show a surface charge of 12 volts then drop way off when loaded up..Could also be the timing advanced Just a couple degrees too much...Or a combination of those things especially in the hot summertime weather..

Edited July 1, 2017 by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

[Tempest Dave]

Thank you both for your help and interest. On a hunch, I put a phenolic heat plate under the carb and cruised the neighborhood until temp hit 200. Pulled into my driveway just in case of "no start" shut it down and let it sit until temp hit 220. Started right up no issues. (even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while) I suspected fuel percolation but had put that down the list for usual suspects. Motor is strong, Battery is new, compression is great and with the TH350, I have to ease into it so as to Not get rubber in second which my neighbors have informed me is irritating to their Gen X lifestyle. The solenoid will be replaced soon to cure the intermittent click situation but everything else is great. Again, thank you for your help and taking the time to answer.

[Last Indian]

Great to hear! My first choice was fuel as you saw, but I’m not familiar with the Edelbrock carb. It's also been a number of years now since my carb days, but I remember how much a carb gasket can effect a 4 barrel & manifold performance.

Edited July 2, 2017 by Last Indian