New: battery cables, alternator, 10 month old starter, coil, plugs, 2 year old plug wires, rebuilt 7.4L.
I rebuilt my 454 over the winter. Bored .30 over, new pistons, lifters, head job, oil pump, cam, etc. I did nothing to the transmission other than paint it. I went through the break-in for the cam and then the rings. Timing is set to 10 degrees. It seems to be running great.
I've never been excited about how fast (it's slow) the engine turns over. But the batteries are both 1000 CCA and both have been tested to be within expected performance. My issue is that after running for 15 - 20 minutes - on the lake - it will not restart. It won't turn over. It tries to crank, but won't. The starter is very hot to the touch, and the transmission bell housing is also very hot. On several different lake tests I have cooled the starter with cold lake water and within a few minutes it will turn over again - albeit slowly. I've bench tested the starter and it seems to work as it should. I really think the bell housing is getting hot for some reason and the starter is getting heat soak. I don't know.
Now for the strange part. When I get the engine started after one of these non-crank situations, it is a pill to keep idling. It just stumbles all over itself. Anything over 1,200 rpms runs great. I can seemingly go as long as I want until I slow down and try to idle (sucks because now I'm trying to load on the trailer).
I can confirm that the starter is letting go of the flywheel after starting the engine. I'm confused about why things are heating up. I can't reproduce the issue on the trailer. It seems that I have to be in gear and running on the lake. Transmission oil is fresh, smells fine, and shows no sign of water.
I'll take any and all advice. Thanks so much.
I rebuilt my 454 over the winter. Bored .30 over, new pistons, lifters, head job, oil pump, cam, etc. I did nothing to the transmission other than paint it. I went through the break-in for the cam and then the rings. Timing is set to 10 degrees. It seems to be running great.
I've never been excited about how fast (it's slow) the engine turns over. But the batteries are both 1000 CCA and both have been tested to be within expected performance. My issue is that after running for 15 - 20 minutes - on the lake - it will not restart. It won't turn over. It tries to crank, but won't. The starter is very hot to the touch, and the transmission bell housing is also very hot. On several different lake tests I have cooled the starter with cold lake water and within a few minutes it will turn over again - albeit slowly. I've bench tested the starter and it seems to work as it should. I really think the bell housing is getting hot for some reason and the starter is getting heat soak. I don't know.
Now for the strange part. When I get the engine started after one of these non-crank situations, it is a pill to keep idling. It just stumbles all over itself. Anything over 1,200 rpms runs great. I can seemingly go as long as I want until I slow down and try to idle (sucks because now I'm trying to load on the trailer).
I can confirm that the starter is letting go of the flywheel after starting the engine. I'm confused about why things are heating up. I can't reproduce the issue on the trailer. It seems that I have to be in gear and running on the lake. Transmission oil is fresh, smells fine, and shows no sign of water.
I'll take any and all advice. Thanks so much.