Starter issue?

[deadflo]

When my 71 Z and outside temp is cold, I can turn the key and get nothing for a few seconds, before the starter will kick over. When it is warm outside or the car is warm the starter engages normally. Does it sound like my starter/solenoid is going? Battery charge is OK.

[Zrush]

I had that same problem on a 78 280Z I once owned. Found out the cold cranking amps on the battery were not enough.

Vicky

[240ZX]

deadflo, you might want to look at your ground connections and give them a cleaning. The corrosion that accumulates on these connections only gets worse with time and causes higher and higher resistance in the electrical circuit and is sometimes thought to be weak battery when it's just a poor connection. Also, it is typical in cold weather for a battery to be slightly less effective...even a new battery (lead acid batteries do not like cold conditions). One other thing....what state of tune is your Z in? Maybe it's just time for a tune up and some general maintenance. When troubleshooting car problems, always start my check basic/obvious items. When all the basics are taken care of, move on to the more complex/un-obvious items. Hope this helps some!

[deadflo]

Well, she was tuned up about 3500 miles ago and is running very good. Also the battery is about six months old. I will check the ground, that seems like a logical problem area.

Again the problem only reared its head once outdoor temperatures reached 30 degrees or below. If the car has been warmed up though, it starts right away when the key is turned. if its cold there is a delay of 2 or 3 seconds before the starter cranks.

[sblake01]

If the ground turns out to be okay, considering the temperature change you might want to look into Vicky's eplaination. What is the CCA rating of your battery? Battery strength does diminish and temperature drops.