for all the mechanical types...please help

I'm an 89 Toyota Supra Turbo driver, and I'm having starting problems.

I've had them ever since I bought the car (bout 4 years ago). Here's what happens:

During the summer when it's hot outside, it frequently won't start after it's been shut off for a couple mins. For instance, I go somewhere and shut the car off and go inside. I come back out 10 - 30 mins later and all I get are solenoids clicking. Wait for 2 hours from when car was shut off (give or take) and it'll start again.

So I know what yer thinking, replace solenoids (there are two on this car). Did that. Next, replace battery. Did that, twice (see below). Next replace starter cables and such. Did that. Have charging system tested. Did that. Finally, replace starter. Did that.

So after all of this, I just kinda learned to live with it. However, last winter, about this time, the battery started going completely dead overnight. So I thought that battery must be toasted and can't handle the cold weather. I replaced the battery (for the second time since I had the car), and it worked great for the rest of the winter. Until it got hot again and started again with the above problem.

Now this winter, the battery just started dieing overnight again. It's completely dead, no lights on the dash or anything. I kinda thought that maybe there was some kind of current drain that was killing it (even though this wouldn't explain the summertime problem) so I unhooked the battery terminals overnight last night. Still dead this morning.

So here's my new theory: During the summertime, the battery is getting boiled alive in the engine compartment. The battery gets so hot that it can't supply juice to start the car until it cools down. As we all know, this isn't good for batterys and all summer long it's slowly being permanently toasted. Once wintertime comes along, the battery is so weak that it can't stand up to the cold.

There isn't any kind of insulation around the battery at all. During the summer, I can drive to work, come out up to 4 hours later and the engine is still warm. It doesn't ever overheat, there's just lots of stuff packed under the hood. Turbo doesn't help either. :p

So my question to everyone is: Is this theory of mine probable? If so, what's the best way to fix it? Or do you have any other ideas?

Just a thought. My buddy was telling me about this great pratical joke he was thinking about. He said he was working on this work van, that had the horn blown out of it. He said he was thinking of wiring the wires together, so the horn would constantly blow (Although you won't hear anything because the horn's blown). So, this would slowly drain the battery, till it gets to the point where it's going in the shop for weeks on end trying to fix it. He was going to leave a note taped to the wires saying "Ha, bet you had a hell of a time figuring that one out."

Youre story reminded me of this. Maybe it's something really small that you wouldn't ever think of. Something that seems totally unrelated. It definately sounds like an electrical problem. Guess, just make sure nothing's draining off the battery. Also, how's the altinator?

Have you contacted a Toyota dealer or Toyota or any mechanic about this problem? I just did some quick research on Google to see if anyone else is having problems with their Supra's and the only thing I found is that the head gasket is poorly designed. No one mentions a starting problem.

Hi there !

I'd like to start off by wishing you a happy new year !! I'll just throw my 2 cents in ...

On a quick check - it's probably an eletrical failure. Let me support this...

I know you tested the system with at least 2 batt. and they both drained out completely. In electrical terms the energy must have gone somewhere, as in the electrical circuit around it BUT... one of your most puzzling facts : you admit that the battery drained out overnight while unplugged.

Wich leaves us to verify : is the battery having any sort of contact with metal inside your hood ?? Maybe try insulating the battery from it's bottom and top holders, plastic should work great for this application.
Question : when you say that the battery drained while unplugged : did you unplug both the terminals ?

Another thing to consider : ordinary car batteries can drain themselves, but they cannot, by themselves, drain overnight (execpt in the defect battery/short circuit scenario)

As for the temperature effect, i'd doubt it very much for i live up north and the batteries survive a full healthy life during 5-10 years while supporting +30c in summer and -40c in winter.

Hope that i could help !!

(forgive the english, for i am not :^)

I haven't checked with a Toyota dealer since there aren't any near me. I have, however, taken it to three seperate shops in my area and none of them have been able to come up with a reason why it's doing this.

The underside of my hood is completely covered in insulation, so I don't think the battery is touching anything. Yes I did unplug both terminals when I tested that.

What i was really referring to in the summer isn't the fact that it's just hot outside, but that the temperature inside the engine compartment is probably several hundred degrees (f) and that that could be what's cooking the battery, not just the outside temp.

Did you try taking the battery inside during the winter? You could have an evil glue sniffing, car battery energy stealing fairy. You said it still drained while unplugged in your car. See what happens if you take it inside for the night and let it warm up. Just a thought. I really would say that you have some kind of wierd electrical malfunction going on though. Makes me think of my old truck. I had an '82 Datsun that did something very wierd. In the wintertime, when I started up my truck and turned on the lights, The interior lights and the back lights wouldn't come on until the truck was warm. I tested this by turning them on with the truck off and the two sets mentioned above never came on. Also, checked the timeframe that it took to turn on compared to the temperature and that is definately what was going on. I found out about it by getting pulled over. I knew my interior lights weren't on but I didn't know that my tail lights weren't. It would sometimes take it up to 15 minutes before they came on in really cold weather.

Read the first part of this about your starting problems in the summertime...maybe it'll be slightly helpful?

<a href="http://www.supras.com/~riemer/sonictech/mk3/mk3_pmtn.html" target="_blank">http://www.supras.com/~riemer/sonictech/mk3/mk3_pmtn.html</a>

If nothing else, I bet somebody at <a href="http://www.supras.com" target="_blank">Supras.com</a> will know something about your problem.

[quote]Originally posted by Aplustech:
<strong>Did you try taking the battery inside during the winter? You could have an evil glue sniffing, car battery energy stealing fairy. You said it still drained while unplugged in your car. See what happens if you take it inside for the night and let it warm up. Just a thought. I really would say that you have some kind of wierd electrical malfunction going on though. Makes me think of my old truck. I had an '82 Datsun that did something very wierd. In the wintertime, when I started up my truck and turned on the lights, The interior lights and the back lights wouldn't come on until the truck was warm. I tested this by turning them on with the truck off and the two sets mentioned above never came on. Also, checked the timeframe that it took to turn on compared to the temperature and that is definately what was going on. I found out about it by getting pulled over. I knew my interior lights weren't on but I didn't know that my tail lights weren't. It would sometimes take it up to 15 minutes before they came on in really cold weather.</strong><hr></blockquote>

DUDE, WE HAVE AN 82 DATSUN THAT DOES THE EXACT SAME THING!!!!!!!!! DUUUUUUUUDDDDEEEE

I had a Nissan 240SX that did all kinds of crazy stuff as well, turn the lights on = cruise control wouldnt work. Turn on the interior dome light = lights wouldnt work. Plus much, much more.
Problem ended up being that the ground wire to the tail-light was loose. After tightening it up everything started working correctly.
I also had some weird problems with my truck too, ended up being a pinched wire to the fuel injector. Wiring problems are very hard to find, and is probably what your problem is. Good luck finding it.

I had an 82 Datsun 200SX that when you made a 90 degree turn, full 90 degree, nothing less, the stereo antenna would go down and back up when you straightened out again. Also, when I hit the breaks all the amber lights came on.

[quote]Originally posted by Jefe:
<strong>

DUDE, WE HAVE AN 82 DATSUN THAT DOES THE EXACT SAME THING!!!!!!!!! DUUUUUUUUDDDDEEEE</strong><hr></blockquote>

Now, THAT is bizarre :eek: I, when I had the truck, asked everyone I knew and many I had just met what it could be and no one knew. Not even Nissan or three mechanics after three different eletrical diagnostics at three different places. WIIIIEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDD

Milenko,
I'd start by getting or making a heat shield for that starter. Some of that header wrap may help too. As for the battery, get a battery blanket from your local junkyard/auto recycler (they're used on MANY GM cars and most people toss them). Also, get the baking soda and scrub the fool outta the entire battery. It only takes a little acid to conduct the charge out of a battery.
Reg

Sell it and buy a WRX :)

[quote]Originally posted by EvilCabbage:
<strong>Sell it and buy a WRX :) </strong><hr></blockquote>

I'd rather get a neon :)

Thanks rfmathis - I was considering the heat shield thing even if that's not really the problem. Maybe I'll go do it now :)

Just for sh1ts and giggles, I went out and disconnected the positive terminal and stuck a multimeter on it and the car is drawing 150 mA. Does anyone know if this is enough to drain a battery over a day or two?

[quote]Originally posted by Milenko:
<strong>

I'd rather get a neon :) </strong><hr></blockquote>

Man.. you sick, twisted individual...

but in all honesty, the Mk3 supras are beasts.. I hope you get her running right soon.

Is she a 2.5 Twin turbo, or a 3.0 single turbo model?

[quote]Originally posted by EvilCabbage:
<strong>

Man.. you sick, twisted individual...

but in all honesty, the Mk3 supras are beasts.. I hope you get her running right soon.

Is she a 2.5 Twin turbo, or a 3.0 single turbo model?</strong><hr></blockquote>

She's a 3.0 single turbo. Here's a pic of my two babies. :) :) :)

http://www.king-nerd.com/lea/old/sitting_on_supra.jpg

very nice!

The car doesnt look bad either. :)

lol

Is it just me, or do IT type people tend to breed a LOT of little girls?

[quote]Originally posted by EvilCabbage:
<strong>Is it just me, or do IT type people tend to breed a LOT of little girls?</strong><hr></blockquote>

I suppose it could be just you. Do you breed a lot of little girls? :D :D :D

[quote]Originally posted by Wayward Clam:
<strong>

I suppose it could be just you. Do you breed a lot of little girls? :D :D :D </strong><hr></blockquote>

I hope not... no offence to people that have girls, but I would go nuts having a daughter.

Its just that, probably 80% of the people I know in IT, that have children, have daughters.