Your thoughts on gear reduction starters?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 581
Likes: 0
From: Southeast WI
Your thoughts on gear reduction starters?
One of my upcoming projects is to replace the starter on my car. The engine is an L36 big block, 427ci/390hp. Standard exhaust manifolds. No headers. One of my local hotrod friends strongly recommends that I use a gear reduction starter. It's lighter and smaller, and is supposedly less suseptible to heat sink problems.
Have any of you installed one of these starters? What do you think about them?
Thanks for your help.
Have any of you installed one of these starters? What do you think about them?
Thanks for your help.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
A go all the way. I installed the GM mini starter a few years ago. It has provided me with many a good start, hot or cold. Weighs about 1/2 as much and is about 1/2 the size. Can't go wrong with installing one. 
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
They really are fantastic. I install mini starters on most all of my projects. The Vette doesn't have one yet, but I don't have the new engine in yet either.
Here is an Ebay vendor that sells a great mini starter.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEWA:IT&ih=014
Here is an Ebay vendor that sells a great mini starter.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEWA:IT&ih=014
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
No just a standard GM mini starter. Used on many trucks and some Vettes also. A new Gm one will be a few more $$$ but you can probably get a rebuilt one from the local parts store for a lot less.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
From: Clearwater Florida
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,465
Likes: 0
From: Orange Park Fl
In the mean time, I went to Autozone, got a rebuilt GM starter for '90's pickup for $160 with a lifetime warranty (they took my old original mamoth starter as a core). It works great. God bless, Sensei
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
Those gear reduction mini starters are not very good. It`s full of hupe by many here too. They will not fit all engines correctly. I dont know the year you have but I believe it`s a cast iron staggered nose mounting starter. I personally run many BBC engines and all have the OEM starters that work flawlessly. But I do sell them also, and unfortunately not everyone has access to those that I sell....
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Pro
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 741
Likes: 1
From: Woodstock GA
I have a Summit Racing one on my Camaro. Got sick of replacing stock starters; the LT1 style factory starter has a plastic gear that kept stripping. No issues with the ministarter. They are great for cars with headers and larger oil pans, but most applications probably dont need it.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,046
Likes: 675
From: FL
GM part #9000852 is a late model truck starter. It is designed for big blocks with a 14" flexplate or flywheel which is what you should have (staggered bolt pattern). I have been using that starter for a couple of years and it works great. Any good parts store should be able to interchange to a GM part #.
One note. You cannot use your stock bolts. The correct bolts are special with metric shanks and standard threads. GM part# for the bolts is 12338064 and you can get them from any dealer.
One note. You cannot use your stock bolts. The correct bolts are special with metric shanks and standard threads. GM part# for the bolts is 12338064 and you can get them from any dealer.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 535
Likes: 1
From: Darwin, Australia NT
They really are fantastic. I install mini starters on most all of my projects. The Vette doesn't have one yet, but I don't have the new engine in yet either.
Here is an Ebay vendor that sells a great mini starter.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEWA:IT&ih=014
Here is an Ebay vendor that sells a great mini starter.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEWA:IT&ih=014
I have a mini starter on my 12/1 454 and it works a treat but a friend just bought one like the one on ebay above and we cant get it to work without it regularly screeching as it fails to mesh and slams into the flexplate. We've tried all the shims, even made extra ones. The fact that they supply shims on this unit makes me suspicious.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
GM part #9000852 is a late model truck starter. It is designed for big blocks with a 14" flexplate or flywheel which is what you should have (staggered bolt pattern). I have been using that starter for a couple of years and it works great. Any good parts store should be able to interchange to a GM part #.
One note. You cannot use your stock bolts. The correct bolts are special with metric shanks and standard threads. GM part# for the bolts is 12338064 and you can get them from any dealer.
One note. You cannot use your stock bolts. The correct bolts are special with metric shanks and standard threads. GM part# for the bolts is 12338064 and you can get them from any dealer.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 1
From: Liberty Missouri
I’ve not seen this mentioned yet so I thought I would throw it out. When you get one check that it has three posts for your wiring. I got a two post one for my 69 and have to rewire the power for the distributor. It’s not to bad but something you should know before you decide to go with one.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 592
Likes: 0
From: ElP TX
Until recently I was using one of the Ebay mini starters refered to above. It worked fine for two years, then died. The vendor (Skip White)replaced it under warranty but the new one died after three days. They are going to replace that one two, but I don't enjoy replacing starters that much.
In the mean time, I went to Autozone, got a rebuilt GM starter for '90's pickup for $160 with a lifetime warranty (they took my old original mamoth starter as a core). It works great. God bless, Sensei
In the mean time, I went to Autozone, got a rebuilt GM starter for '90's pickup for $160 with a lifetime warranty (they took my old original mamoth starter as a core). It works great. God bless, Sensei
