I have an 1993 LX, 5.0 5speed. Car starts fine the first time, after driving and getting the motor up to operating temp. Shut the car off and it will not start until it cools down. I can push start it, but it will not start with the ignition. Car has shorty headers and K&N cold air intake.

 

Does it spin over but no start or wont spin over? sounds like the starter maybe over heating... just depends on what exactly is happening!

 

yea thats my question for you also ^^ if it just wont crank over its the starter. An old starter that is weak gets even weaker when its hot. It will pull more amps than the battery can handle and act like you have a dead battery.

 

Car cranks over but smell gas fumes coming out of exhaust. Also puffs of white smoke.

 

White puffs of smoke usually mean a bad head gasket/blown head. But the car would run like crap when it does start.

 

sounds like a spark problem. If it starts up ok after it cools down and runs good I would dicount the head gaskets and start looking more at the coil and tfi. When it happens check spark at the coil and see if it is good and strong . If it is orange it is a weak coil when its hot. If you get no spark at all It could be that the tfi is going out.
spark from the coil should be a nice bright blue or even white color when it is operating normally . Im guessing that when it gets hot the spark is really weak and barly able to fire the fuel in the cylinder It may fire enough to puff out some smoke from a cylinder or 2 but not strong enough to run.

 

When you say to check the spark at the coil, just remove the lead from the coil, crank the engine and look at the spark?

 

unplug the wire boot from the coil, hold it close to the tip of the coil and have someone crank it to see if there is enough spark. careful not to get shocked though.

 

I am still having an issue, I have replaced the distributor and TFI, car will start if turned off. If stalled will not start, white smoke, smell fuel, but can push start and car will fire right up.

 

I'm sensing bad ground(s).