islaTurbine

If you haven't already, look up some of Ahsai's excellent posts about diagnosing the starter cable. That should help you determine whether or not it's the culprit.

808Bill

Took my battery down and had it tested. It was a little low 12.3 I think. Gave it a full charge and so far the problem has not come back. But I've only driven it four times since. Parts have been ordered just in case as the service history going back to 08 shows nothing done in relation to these parts...Stay tuned!

thefleshrocket

Bump to an old thread since the hot water trick helped me, and to share my experience. My '02 Cabrio with 45K miles has had hot start issues. Cranked and started fine when cold, or after sitting for 10-15 minutes when hot, but very slow crank when trying to restart immediately after stopping. Not good if I'd have a ham-fisted (foot-fisted?) moment and kill it in traffic! I bought a new Y cable probably 9 months ago but had been putting it off. I finally got around to it. The whole project took me at least 4 hours but a lot of that was looking up stuff on the internet and staring at things trying to figure out what to do. I did unbolt the alternator (the stupid bushing was pretty uncooperative about being tapped back), as well as removed the airbox, throttle body, and plenum, but nothing else.

I was partway through the job and assessed the existing cable--it looked practically perfect. No signs of corrosion, nothing burned or broken or discolored. I half thought about just leaving the existing cable in, since it didn't look anything like the other bad cables pictured here. But I pushed ahead and got it done. Today I took the 911 out to pick up my daughter from school. Voltage while running started out just over 14, and settled to just under 14 after some driving. After I got home, I shut off the car and restarted it. It cranked normally! I can't believe that the existing cable really was bad., given how good it looked. So, point being, even a good-looking cable can be bad.

pcar.nyc

I have a 2002 C4S that is having the hot start issue - really annoying. Curious if you replaced the starter along with the cable? I have been "ham-footed" a few times at lights and ended up stalled out in the middle lane directly off the Manhattan Bridge in rush hour traffic! FUN. A construction worker helped me push the car to the side - and I am sure a lot of people had fun laughing at the idiot in the sports car. I only stall because I know the car won't always start again! Adds a lot of excitement when going on trips, getting gas, and just driving around town. Can't wait to resolve this issue.

A friend and I are replacing both the starter and the cable - since I am getting occasional screeching from the starter right after start. Feels like a big enough job that doing both components makes sense so I don't have to go back in.... More to come on this.

Thanks for the hot water trick - I think I will understand when I get into the work (and get the new cable... waiting for delivery today!!!)

dcsjc

Yes, did exactly this job a month ago on my 2004 C4S. Makes total sense to do both the Y-cable and the starter together, as the starter is just two more bolts once you're already in there. Replacing both fixed my hot start issue and now the engine turns over comically fast before firing up.

I also didn't understand the "hot water trick" before doing the job. Basically one end of the Y-cable has a big plastic mount clipped to it which makes it impossible to fish that end of the cable through the gab between the A/C compressor and the mount point. But it's possible to carefully separate the big plastic mount from the cable using a couple of thin screw drivers. Soaking the plastic in hot water softens it making it easier. The cable fishes through easily without the big plastic mount attached. Then once it's fished through, reattach with a click and you're ready to bolt it to the mount point.

One word of caution that's mentioned lots of places but I want to re-emphasize: be careful with your oil filler tube in this job. It's old a brittle at this point. I was at the very end of the job and casually leaned my arm on mine and BROKE IT OFF at the corrugated part. Depressing! But I was able to hack a fix using a 1-1/4 to 1-1/12 rubber coupling from home depot (link) to get me up and running. It seems to be holding and I'll replace it whenever I have to remove the alternator.

pcar.nyc

A friend and I completed the job on Monday - replaced both the Starter and the Cable. The Starter was from 2008 and was having minor issues. The cable was definitely corroded and the slow starting was annoying.

And agree DCSJC, the car starts comically quickly now! It is such a huge change whether hot or cold that I can't believe it each time. If anyone is having any lagging while starting, do the work - well worth it.

FYI - We were able to make the change without removing the rear plenum. We also removed the alternator and used the HOT WATER trick which saved us from having to move the AC compressor. For the HOT WATER trick, let the boot soak for 5 minutes or so in very hot water and it will work. We also likely could have saved the old boot since we were able to fish the cable out without damaging the boot - since we could bend the old cable pretty significantly while removing it. This gave us the option to use the old boot if we damaged the new one. I expect you could also cut the old wire since you are removing it anyway to try and salvage the old boot.

Thanks for the help on this to all the posters above. So excited to start my car over and over and over again (and not worry if I stall it out - which I won't since it's not an issue any more!)

Emefef

My cable had no signs of corrosion, so I replaced only the starter and that fixed the hot start/no crank issue.
Fortunately for me, the PO replaced both the battery and the alternator trying to address the issue.

pcar.nyc

Good for you... I won't know if it was actually the starter or the cable... cable was $75 and I was in there BUT starter only is an easier job.... too bad it's not a lot easier to switch the cable!

Shane911996

I am replacing my Alternator in my 2001 996 3.4l 6 speed manual Cab with 85k kms (when I can find one, I want the Bosch AL8015N but everyone is out of stock at present (have thought of the cheaper aftermarket brands but am a bit sceptical of installing one of those (the one being replaced is a Bosch Al8012) anyone got any experience with the cheaper aftermarket alternators, in particular the DB Electrical alternator
https://www.amazon.com.au/Electrical...e%2C371&sr=1-1

but that really wasn’t the original intention of my post. My car doesn’t have any warm starting issues etc, but am thinking since I already have the alternator out (the alternator, starter and Y cable have never been replaced)

Should I replace the starter and the Y cable at the same time?

islaTurbine

Ab. So. Lutely.

Coussa

Thank you everyone that contributed to this thread as it has helped me in my attempts to replace the starter and Y cable. As my new starter and cable are only arriving tomorrow from FCP Euro (given that I plan on keeping the car a very long time and this may happen again in a few years, their lifetime guarantee will pay off) I decided to get ahead and start the removal process today. Here are my observations so far:

• I only removed the front plenum and left the rear one in place.
• I was able to disconnect the Y cable from the alternator without removing it. 13mm nut easily accessed from the back.
• Accessing the bottom bolt of the starter was the part that worried me the most but, as mentioned in numerous other posts and instructions, with the right combination of extensions and u-joint it wasn't as difficult as initially feared. I used a magnet as an extra precaution to not drop the bolt but even if it falls it won't go very far.
• Hardest part was squeezing the old starter out given how little I removed to do the job in the 1st place. Including the old Y cable and I will explain why.
• I just replaced the AC compressor a few months ago and didn't want to deal with that rear bolt again so I loved OPs idea that would avoid that headache. Not fully understanding the hot water method and after having a pretty rough time removing the plastic box off the old cable with 2 flatheads I was struck with another idea. I will attempt to use the old cable to fish the new one through by attaching the starter/alternator connectors from the new one to the end sticking out of the old. In order to maximise clearance, I also removed the bolt at that end using a 6mm hex key (See pics).

I will report tomorrow with the final results. If you can avoid removing the plastic box from the new cable I'll consider this a small victory and poor myself a cold one.

PS: This is on a 2003 C4S with an M96/03AT665... engine (built in 2005 and replaced in the car in 2010) for reference. Not sure how many differences there would be with on a 3.4

• 
  

Coussa

Great success!!! I was able with very little trouble to use the old cable and fish the new one through behind the AC compressor. I zip tied the ends and put electric tape for added smoothness. New starter and cable are in. I still can’t get over how smoothly it starts now.


Zip tied

Taped

Went in relatively smoothly

Out the other end

Old cable fully out and new one in place

Emefef

Well, it's happening again. I drove for 18 months since the rebuild and never stalled once. Then I stalled twice within about 5 minutes, and the second time I had that slow cranking experience. It still started though. On the way home that night (started up perfectly after sitting all day) I was stuck in traffic with my eyes glued to the voltmeter. It was too low.
Peering behind the alternator, I saw peanut shells and leaves...little bastards! I took the alternator out and all the wiring was intact. The connections at the starter still look great, too. I put the alternator back in so I could start running more tests, and nicked the lower hose for the AOS. NO, I DIDN"T break the plastic! That came later when I was replacing the hose...
Right now it's got a brass barb between the hoses and I'm waiting for an aluminum replacement
At least it's running, so I can get back to testing. I'm going to do the tests from one of Ahsai's posts to isolate the problem to either the (a?) cable or the alternator. The battery charges fine and holds a charge (and is only 3 years old). The alternator is about 4 years old.
Has anyone tried running separate (non-oem) heavy gauge wires, one from the alternator and one from the starter to the connection point? That seems like it would be a good test that you could install and drive with over a period of time.

hatchetf15

Emefef - I ran a battery cable from alternator to SAI pump mount and starter to jump post by power steering pump a few years ago.

Emefef

Maybe it was a post from you that I saw. Before I settled on changing the starter, I added an extra ground strap to the SAI pump mount and one from the alternator to the post. When I ended up changing the starter I removed them.
I was just wondering about the replacement cables if the problem is in the crimp at the starter. Wouldn't it make sense to have two of the right gauge cables connected (like on the connection block) at the starter instead of the crimp? Or separate ones from the starter and alternator to the connection block (although that would mean three on post, and if it's anything like three on a match, that's no good.