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[Z06] For Z owners with Headers......have you had starter problems ??
C6 Corvette ZR1 & Z06General info about GM’s Corvette Supercar, LS9 Corvette Technical Info, Performance Upgrades, Suspension Setup for Street or Track
The starter solenoid overheats and then fails. Some even melt the posts out. The car will not crank. Most people just combat the problem by shielding the starter.
This is EXACTLY what happened to me. LT headers. Solenoid casing melted to where the stud could be removed by hand. Replaced the starter with an Autozone one (lifetime replacement) and wrapped it with heat shield, and the headers with header wrap, and the wiring with DEI conduit... problem never came back.
OP, swap that starter out now while you aren't driving it. It WILL eventually fail. Just my .02.
Last edited by Pb82 Ronin; 09-11-2016 at 03:01 PM.
So inquiring minds really want to know is how much is there to be gained by aftermarket headers???? I have read that the factory exhaust flows pretty good. So unless you are going for every 1/10 horsepower, is it really worth the initial as well as the ongoing expense of headers???
Depends on power level. For a <650rwhp car I would do ls7 manifolds with gutted cats. For 1200+ you probably want headers. It all depends on the setup.
I have lots of road course miles on my car and it get really hot after 20 minutes of beating on it.
The first starter failed due to heat damage to the solenoid after about 20 hours of track time. I'm on the 2nd starter and it's wrapped with DEI heat shield and it's working fine right now. I need another 10 hours of track time before I have the same number of heat cycles on this one.
Here's the car chasing the IMSA ST Bimmerworld #81 through turn 5A at VIR. That little BMW was very fast in the corners but on the long straight the Katech modified LS7 ruled!
Currently diagnosing the same issue. I have 1-7/8 kooks headers and a Powermaster starter. Car starts like a champ when cold but a short drive to the store it wont restart, even with a jump... this led me to send Powermasters back their starter w/solenoid. They sent me a refurbished one back no questions asked and while i was waiting i cleaned all electrical connection points, wrapped wires around starter with DEI heat wrap and had my headers coated by Pyrodyne. also got a DEI blanket for the new starter. installed everything and found car still wont start when hot. Bret from Billet-Tech alternators has been nice enough to point me to some key areas to check continuity and such but no fix yet. Im at the point of wanting to replace the wires at the starter. Does anyone know part numbers of these cables and where to order them??
Have ARH and X pipe 5K miles no problem but i feel your pain. Have a 65 Shelby Cobra 427 and even with a high torque starter and shielding if you drive for an hour or so be prepared to stay at that location for 45 min. or so until the starter will crank again. Its been like that for 16 years!But it always starts.
Kooks here, been through 3, with 1 before headers and two after. I was told by my shop the headers speed through the life of the starter especially doing HPDE's. I'm surprised I haven't heard more of this issue. I may try heat shielding to see if that helps.
In 42,000 miles, I have had to replace 2 starters plus had to replace the power leads once ARH headers and it is supercharged, so it runs hot temps under the hood. Wrapped starter and the leads this last time, about 12,000 miles ago. So far so good.
No issues so far with my Hinson headers but I did wrap the tubes in the areas near the starter and the starter wire to the solenoid is also wrapped with header wrap and covered with alum. foil wrap so the wire doesn't get torched.
09-11-2016, 02:57 PM
