It lived for an hour...headers and starter Question
 

Ok guys, so I got my truck finally running today. You wouldn't believe the wiring nightmare the previous owner created. Anyways, I took it down the road on its maiden voyage. I knew I was low on gas, but I was lower than I thought. I made it about 2 miles before I ran out. Tank 2 was out too. So I called my wife, got gas and headed to my father's to show him that I can fix a Chevy (He's a VW mechanic.) So, I made it there without a hitch. He drove the truck a little. Then I got in the truck to head home and the thing cranked awefully hard. Now the battery is new and it was charging. The guy I bought it from claimed that the starter was new. Well, eventually after cranking the starter just stopped all together except the sound of the solenoid clicking. He said that this happened to him also and he claimed that the engine which is newly rebuilt was just "tight" and that it needed to wear in. Usually after it cools it will start again. Now that sounds odd to me. Instead, I'm wondering, can the headers get so hot that they cook the starter? There is no heat shield and the cylinder just above the starter has blown out it's exhaust gasket, so it gets pretty hot. I am wondering, have you guys with headers ever had to devise some sort of heat shield to protect the starter. Or am I just fishing? Thanks

Mike

I know they sell heat resistant blankets for starter in Summit or Jeg's.

I've had headers on mine for 4 years and not always had good gaskets without wasting the starter. Was it a cheapo starter? I've bought those and had problems. You might look at the battery cables, make sure they are clean at both ends.

header and starter
 

The starter was probably a cheap one. I figured in the morning I'd check all the wires to make sure nothing it loose. Thanks for the info

definately a bad starter and you should get a blanket for the new one get a HD starter and explain to your rebuilder the application they can help ya with a better one

Check your wiring, and how clean your battery poles are... Mine did this to me the other day when I was having my inspection, it was almost as if my battery had gone dead, so we cleaned the poles and it started on the first turn, much to the amazment of the mechanic, lol

sounds like the starter isnt getting enough juice if is just clicks, though it could be the starter itself.. did you try to jump it?

Jumping the starter with a wire became my favorite way to test them when I was a road technician. It should tell you if the starter works under "normal" conditions.

BUT...

If the cylinder's exhaust gasket is leaking exhaust right onto to the starter, well... GM's were already known to cause some troubles by having the starter solenoid on the starter under the exhaust manifolds. Remember that heat is the biggest cause of resistance to electricity. Since it starts when it cools fix the exhaust gasket first, then get a heat shield for your poor little starter.

http://store.summitracing.com/produc...earchtype=ecat

or

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...rt=THE%2D14150

or

http://store.summitracing.com/produc...earchtype=ecat

or

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...t=DEI%2D010402

problem solved
 

Well you guys might enjoy this. I found three problems with the ignition system. Not sure which one was the major cause. First, the flywheel, which was just put in by the previous owner, had two of the three bolts in about half way - not even finger tight! I figure the starter must have been binding partly because the flywheel wasn't running true. Once this was fixed the gear on the end of the starter also stuck in the teeth. Again the previous owner had not put on any shims. So I, at first, left them off too. However, a few shims and the starter didn't hand up. Finally, I also found out that he had cut into the purple wire that comes from the ignition so he could get power for his KC lights from it. He had jumped it with some really light guage wire that got hot pretty quickly. I'm guess that the combination of all three was the source of all my numerous starter deaths. Today the truck ran and started better than it has since I bought it. Thanks agains for all the advice. It is greatly appreciated. Sometime when I have time, I'll entertain you with what I had to go through to get the carburator working correctly! Yet another electronic disaster!

Mike H

Feels good don't it?

I love it when a plan comes together.

Sounds like some of the trucks I've owned in the past. My problem are the interior lights that come on dim when I try to use the horn.

I haven't checked the horn yet! That could be my next problem. I was also puzzled by the fact that I had only 4 of 5 illumination lights working even after changing the bulb. I finally figured out that he had stuck the 4x4 light in the wrong place. I guess I would have figured that one out the next time I went mudding late at night!

starter problems
 

I know we have beat this horse to death, so I need to get my whack in. I have been having the same problem with my starter. All wires are good so I am either going to find a good heat shield to stop the problem, or go back to exhaust manifolds and stock exhaust. Does anyone know out of these heatshields NVBowtie listed, which one would work the best. Let me know and I will try it before I do the changeover.

Thanks
Tommy