Anyone have a recommendation for a good heat shield for the starters on our C3s equipped with big blocks? Most of this car I bought seems to be well-engineered, but for the life of me, I don't understand a few things... one being why a heat shield for the starter wasn't installed. The vehicle has ceramic coated Hooker headers. There is some decent space between them and the starter (closest pipe is about 1-1.5" away), so when the car is moving, there is most likely plenty of air moving to keep it cool enough (just an educated guess). However, I can see at idle and on shut-down where heat soak can be/is an issue.

The starter turns over very quickly on cold starts, but it is sluggish on hot starts, especially when there has been very little cool down (my stops in this car are short... bank, gas station, parts store, short in-and-out errands... if I even stop. The point is, I don't park it long at all outside of my garage). It hasn't stranded me yet, but its also the cooler days here in N Texas (50-70F). I don't know if the heat of the summer will make it noticeably worse; the headers are hotter than the pavement and any ambient temps, for sure.

If I could install a heat shield with little work, I'd like to do it. I checked out a couple that are "wraps", where you can supposedly install it without removing the starter, but after getting under the car today, that type isn't going to work. As you guys with BBs know, there isn't any room between the block/oil pan and the starter to slide anything tangle in between there... not that this side is that important... it's really the top above the solenoid and the side closest to the header that needs heat protection.

Let me know what you've guys done... and whether you could install it with the starter/headers in place or not. I don't want to pull it all apart, honestly.

 

If yours isn't already so equipped, have you considered a Permanent Magnet starter? ...
... Without Field Coils and similar to what's been on OE sbc/BBC for over twenty years ...
... PM motors are typically affected far less by Heat than FC designs and PM typically have smaller profile as well.

FWIW ... many of the mini hi-torque "race" starters Do still employ Field Coils ...
... starters with FC typically have Large countersunk screws thru sides of main starter case/housing ... PM typically Not.

 

I'm afraid this one is a FC unit based on your description (counter sunk screws thru sides of main starter case).

 

Does your 71 have OE points with a ballast resistor/wire? ... Or a more modern electronic ignition like HEI etc?

 

modern hei

 

smaller 153 Tooth or Larger 168T flywheel

 

this one fits small flywheel, with or without points (straight-across bolts)
https://www.dbelectrical.com/product...-sdr0059k.html

this one fits larger flywheel without points (staggered bolts)
https://www.dbelectrical.com/product...sdr0019-l.html

happy, healthy new year to all

 

It had a starter shield when it left St. Louis. Somewhere along the way, yours was removed.

 

Finally solved the starter issues on my 496 BBC.

1) Bigger wires. Rewired the battery feeds with 0/1 gauge wire from West Marine.
2) Tilton starter. Not cheap but spins the engine over very fast.
3) DEI heat shield. Have not run it without the heat shield but it seems to work. The Tilton is very close to the block.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/dei-010402
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/til-54-40001

 

Expensive, built BUILT WELL. 50% of complaints here are "It's crap."
I jump on stuff that is not crap. Too much to wade through.

 

Thanks guys. I was seriously considering a DEI heat shielding wrap... probably have to remove the starter to get it to wrap around completely, however.

I'm with you Big2Bird... I don't mind spending the $$ if it is high(er) quality and will last me a good while.

 

I only use CVR starters from now on......20 years, 6 units, zero shims and zero problems......finest starter on the market IMHO.

This is the part# for the unit with the "R" side like your old car needs.....

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cvs-5323r

Jebby

 

yeah, this isn't close to a matching car/combo. I'm just saying the previous owner had it apart, and I'm surprised he didn't put one on... given the many other things he engineered very well.

 

OP's old car has modern HEI ... his post #5 ... "R" post not required in OP's example; but won't hurt either.

Happy, Healthy New Year for all.

 

DEI shield was very easy to install. Just wrapped it around the starter and trimmed the excess.

 

i built 10MT Delcos for a living. i have 7 or 8 in my basement. i wont use them. even cheap chinese are better.

 

If you have a good mini starter with the correct size cables, you shouldn't need any kind of wrap or hokey heat shields etc etc..... I've had two different sets of headers on my big block in my 71' and never cooked a starter or had heat soak issues. Now if you are running the huge factory style starter and have 1/4" clearance between the headers, then yeah you'll have potential for problems.

From my experiences with starters on my car, the best working, least BS starters are the factory style GM mini starters... No shims, no clocking, the starter gear is supported on both sides, the **** just works. Unlike the "race" mini starters that always end up needing "tweaking" etc to get them working right and without noise.

Believe it or not, I run an Oreilys brand Ultima mini starter from a 1997 Vortec 350. The starter is TINY and miles away from the header tubes. It has no issue starting up my 698hp big block with 210 cranking PSI and locked out timing. Been on there 10 years now. 27k miles on it.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...ckup-rwd?pos=0

 

Also remember, the engine will be harder to turn over when everything is hot. Cranking PSI is higher in the cylinders, load on the electric components is higher due to higher resistance in the coils/windings/battery etc....I have always noticed mine sounds a little different when starting it when hot vs cold, but it always starts right up. I wouldn't be real concerned about yours yet unless its noticeably dragging. I'd check and make sure all of the cables are sized and grounded correctly, and make sure the battery properly holds load when its hot. Do that stuff before digging into starter issues that you may not have.

 

Great advice, Alan... and what you suggest is that path I have been planning to head down before doing anything crazy... fixing something that doesn't need to be fixed. :P

My starter is OEM-like... its the big one, probably not the original based on how it looks, but I have very good clearance between the headers and the starter... only one tube is close at all...and it is still 1.5+" away from the starter housing. I'm going to check, and re-check the cables and wiring before doing anything else.

 

As I recall GM upgraded the battery cable size sometime in the early 70s. Mine has two cables, the replacement is larger.

Checking the voltage drop on each suspicious cable section or connection during starting is the acid test to confirm if you have a problem at that location.

Check the big ground cable too goes to the motor mount. The frame itself is most of the ground path.

And my experience is the big factory starters have a big problem when they get hot, the field coil doesn't like it. The new mini style is much better in that regard.