Had a rebuilt engine installed in March. Ran fine till the summer heat came along. If i hit slow moving traffic for 10 mins or more, the truck starts stalling and sometimes dies. It won't turn over for about 15 mins. Last nite I drove 2 miles and parked. After 10 mins in store, the truck will not turn over again. I don't have "check engine". Over the weekend I found a leaky vacuum line maybe this will help with stall but what will cause the engine to bind? I'm wondering if the heads are not adjusted right or can something bind up where the starter can't turn the engine over. Had the battery check and starter isn't that old.

 

What engine
What trans
What year truck

 

1989 ford f-150, with 4.9 engine. Trans is a 5 speed OD. Haven't thought the transmission could cause this problem but i guess anything is possible.

Thanks

 

Just a suggestion-- I had a friend had similair problem with a demolition car(ford ltd). When the motor heated up it would stall. It was a bad ground on the engine block. Don't ask me why this would cause it but it did. I'm no mechanic.

 

The stalling isn't as big as problem as the won't start issues. I was wondering if the heat cause something to expand and cause the truck to have problems starting after driving.

 

There are a few components that can heat soak.
I would check them in this order:
(Check timing first)
Distributor module
Coil
Starter

The ignition (module and coil) is especially prone to problems with heat soak.
The starter will only do it if it is going bad.
Your timing being too far advanced will cause hot start problems too.

 

What exactly does that mean? The starter doesn't spin? The starter spins, but the engine doesn't? The engine spins, but doesn't cough/fire? The engine spins & coughs, but doesn't idle? It idles for a moment, but dies quickly?

 

steve83, I lifted the hood and watch the engine. "Won't turn over" in this case, means starter engages and engine moves about 1/8 turn and engine returns to orginal position. The starter doesn't spin and engine doesn't spin. Something is binding where the engine does not turn at all. I can hold the key on and I can see the starter wire is getting hot. I think this may mean juice is getting to starter and starter is trying to turn the engine but engine is too hard to turn over. I can push start it but in the arizona heat thats alot of sweating. A couple of years ago i changed the distributor, starter, alternator, coil, module, plugs, plug wires and anything else that looked like it could get hot and wear out. Checked the timing and replaced all vacuum lines over the weekend. Had the battery checked recently. I can drive 6 hours with no problems, I just can't turn off the motor when I stop for gas. This weekend i plan on getting another starter. Any suggestion to what else may cause problem. Thanks for response

 

Sounds like the starter, assuming nothing is wrong with the battery or cables. Check out the cables, sometimes they look good but have corrosion underneath.

If that fails, take the starter off quickly after it's hot, and see if it throws out and spins properly without turning over the engine.

 

SignMaster,
Thanks I'll probably replace starter and cables.

 

Check the battery ground connection to the engine before you buy new parts.

 

Check the amperage draw on the starter as well.

 

What do you use to check amperage draw? I guess I could take it to autozone and let them check it again with their high tech battery checker.
Do you have an idea of how much current the starter will normally draw?
Also the gnd cable runs into the same bolts that hold the starter onto the transmission.

 

I'm not suggesting replacing without checking. I'm simply trying to think of quick low effort ways to check various things. If the gear throws out properly and it spins properly, then you have eliminated a couple possibilities.

I also agree with what StrangeRanger suggests, but my concern is that the heat is affecting either the available voltage to the starter, or the output of the starter in some way.

 

You need a clamp-on ammeter. The starter will probably draw 600-800 amps but what you really need to see is the difference in draw between cold start and hot start. If the starter isn't half fried there shouldn't be much difference.

Here's an experiment for you to check out the ground cable without instruments. Next time it won't start, take a jumper cable and connect the (-) post on the battery to the engine block and hit the key. If it starts right up, it's the ground cable.