I have an 89 Cutlass Supreme with the 3.1L engine. My starter was replaced with a New one about a year ago. For the past few months, if I shut my car off after driving around for a while, or running errands etc., sometimes it will take a few turns of the key to get it to start. It might take only 2 tries, it might take 10. There's no real rhyme or reason for it. And when I say it won't start at first I mean it does NOTHING. No noise, no nothing. Not turning over in the slightest.
So people told me it would have to be because my starter is getting "heat soaked"!? Because if I leave it shut off for more than 20 minutes or so, it's fine. It will never do it if the engine is completely cooled down or at least somewhat cool. I know it's not that my engine is getting too hot because I have a temp gauge as well as manual fan control switches so it never goes above 200 degrees in most cases.
It's just starting to get really annoying. I'm so used to it now that I can predict when it won't start right away.
To me, "heat soak" is the only logical explanation I can think of, but if I just replace the starter, won't the same thing happen eventually with the new solenoid? Should I, or can I, install a starter heat shield or something?
THANKS!:)