hot Start Problem

Same problem...still not fixed. truck cranks fine after sitting somewhere for a while. Once I get in it and go for about 20 miles (enough time for it to warn up) It runs good when it is running...real good. My problem, I turn it off and try to crank it back up and it almost sounds like I have a dead battery. Eventually it does drain out. Here is what I have checked
battery: good
alternator: good
starter: good
timing: 8 degrees BDC and I have played around with this trying to see if maybe 8 degrees is not where it needs to be, same results.
What else am I missing here? Could it be the distribuor??? 1972 Chevy 350
Please help, I am about ready to run this truck into a river somewhere.

Also I forgot to mention that if I was to put some jumper cables on it and jump it off it will crank right up....

Check your battery terminals.... this happened to me with a different car. It wouldn't even crank when I tried to start it hot a few times. So just for the hell of it, I popped the hood and jiggled the battery terminals and it started right up then soon after I got new ones. I'd check that first and work your way from there (cheapest route first).

Quite often a hot start problem like this is either the starter solenoid getting too hot from not being shielded from the exhaust or the timing being too far advanced. Eight degrees shouldn't be too much. I run 10 degrees BTC on a '78 350 with no issues (automatic, most manuals should be 0.) I have run into the hot start problem on a '64 impala and shielding the starter from the the header did wonders for the problem. If Ford got one thing right, it's the remote starter solenoid. I do agree with the previous post, check the battery cables first. My wife's Malibu did this even cold and it was some unnoticeable corrosion between the battery post and cable.

Well. I re-did all battery cables, mounted neg. directly to engine frame instead of ac mounting bracket. Seems to have helped. I took it outfor a test spin to get it warmed up and see if the problem went away and found out a new problem. Battery goes dead while I am driving at night, with most compenets going, heater, headlights, interior lights, and radio. The radio slowly dies out as I hit the brakes. I got home and the battery was completely dead headlights were dimmed but still working. The guy who had the truck before me put a little system under the seats, looks like 2 ten inch speakers and a sub woofer or bass booster. Question, would factory alternator not be enough to pull the load? Are there any other options to get a higher amp alternator and finally would this maybe fix my new problem??

I would check the battery cables--not just the ends--try to peel back alittle of the insulation and see if they are corroded inside the insulation. Side battery terminals have had a problem of leaking battery fluid out of the side terminals and down the inside of the cable behind the insulation and is hard to see at times. Might be worth a shot.

Check those cables for corrosion a few inches away from the ends. The best thing to do in this case is go spring for some new battery cables. Get an extra ground cable while you are at it and run one to the frame and one to the alternator bracket. Good luck!

Well I have exhausted all options I believe....new battery terminals, all electrical componets work. How do I ohm out circuits to see if I have a short or if something is pulling to many amps from the battery? Maybe I should bite the bullet and take it to a shop somewhere to have them look over the electrical system?

I have a 69 with the same problem... except mine has got to the point were it will not start at all. If you get somewhere and stop and it will not start with the key will it start with a screwdriver on the solenoid? Mine always would. even thought it wouldn't start with the key. If it starts with the screwdriver when hot. then it is a internal wiring problem(i.e. wires from switch) if it doesn't then it is a battery/charging system problem. Hope this helps...

BTW I still haven't figured out what is going on with my truck. It starts with a screwdriver on the solenoid but not the key!!!!

How did you test the alternator? B/c it can read 14 volt when running but not push enough amps to fully keep the battery charged.

I carried the alternator to Auto Zone and they put it on their machine. I think it is an internal wiring problem I have looked over the entire truck. I am going to start calling around tommorrow to see if someone local wants to look it over. Before I do that I am going to look over it one more time to make sure I did not miss anything, I hate taking the truck to the shop and it ends up being a $2.00 fix that I could have done but cost me 200.00.

are you getting 14 volts at the battery(with a volt meter) when the truck is running?

Finally fixed. Ended up biting the bullet on this problem and taking it to the shop. Great bunch of guys helped me out. It turned out to be a combination of things, bad wiring in charging system, voltage regulator, faulty ground somewhere other than battery cable on the truck, and timing. All issues combined made my problem. No it is fixed onto other things.