HELP please! engine won't start hot

I have a 2001 vitara 2-door, hard top and I've never had trouble until just recently ...
Mine has about 66,000 miles on it and now, when the engine is hot (been driven 20 miles or more) it will NOT start if you stop it. Once it finally does turn over, it stalls, sputters, pops and backfires.
I've taken it to my mechanic twice and it's now been at the dealership for four days and they can't identify the problem.

Has anyone had this problem? I'm told it's not the starter since it will start 'cold' no problem -- but then what is it? No one knows and I can't afford to keep driving this rental -- does anyone have any ideas?????

I am in the same boat with you man. I just bought an 88 Nissan Pulsar for $100. It didn't start, so I thought it would be an easy fix. After replacing the radiator, and head gasket, it started up on the first try. I timed it, and the thing purred. I took it for a test spin, and when I got back I shut it off, and then tried to start it up again. No luck. It sounds like it is drowning. So, I figured the choke is stuck, or the floats in the carberator were not working properly. I went to good ol Wal Mart to buy some Carb Cleaner, and that seems to not be doing the trick. So, my next step is to pull the carb apart and see what is going on in there. It sounds like to me you may be having the same problem unless your fuel injected. In that case you maybe filling up that combustion chamber with fuel. If it runs fine, and has problems starting after you turn it off, then your car is being sufficated somehow. You need to find out why your injectors or floats are not stopping the fuel from running into the chamber. That is basically where the problem is. I have read in the forum from similar situations, and people seem to claim it is a sensor of some sort. I think that is all a bunch of b/s since nobody's replying back saying that fixed the problem. Oh well, what do I know. I bought a stinking Pulsar. lol.

Oh whoops, you have a 2001. Yours is fuel injected, and 11 years newer. Your car may have a problem with the fuel sensor. If your sensor is bad, it will not stop the excess fuel from running into your combustion chamber. You may need to get a manual to find out where that sensor is, and how to replace it. I work on the old stuff. Sorry, didn't pay attention to the year of your vehicle. Good Luck.

Thanks! The fuel sensor is something I'm not familiar with on this one -- Suzuky says there's a known problem with the engine cooling system on this model but that's as far as it goes and forget the dealershipw here I bought it -- they know less than I do!

I'll check the fuel sensor though -- thanks!

did you resolve the problem yet . try pouring water on cam positon sensor to cool it down then see if it starts if it does it could be a bad sensor. i have same problem it would not start after running about half an hour i read a post about the sensor so i tried cooling it down with water and it started right away.