There are two separate hot start issues. One is where the solenoid doesn't work and you turn the key and there is nothing. The second issue is slow cranking. For some mysterious reason pontiacs can be much harder to turn over when hot than when cold. I solved the slow cranking issue with a 1000 CA battery and 1 gauge cables. I have a theory that for high compression motors, when cold the lifters aren't pumped up so the intake vale closes sooner and the compression is lower making cranking easier. When hot, the lifters are pumped up and the cranking sees the full compression.
I like the thinking that it could be lifter-related, however one problem. Intake valve closing sooner, that increases dynamic compression ratio. Intake closing later decreases dynamic compression. However, maybe the lack of lift itself is reducing cylinder filling. Would be interested to test standard lifters against bleed downs like Rhoads.
Other possibilities in addition to the solenoid getting hot or weak grounding, would be ignition timing. A cold engine likes additional timing compared to a warm engine. Too much advance when fully warmed, and it may cause too much peak cylinder pressure acting on the piston as it reaches TDC.
