starter heat shields

[roadking]

new crate motor in, runs great! put the dynamax headers on (not ceramic) and already having starter problems getting hot and not wanting to start until cool down, just wondering if anyone has put a heat shield on thier starter and sylenoid and solved this problem. summit sells one for 25.00 but i hate to spend cash if its not going to help. any advice is appreciated.

[shuttermutt]

Here's a fun way to see if a heat shield will help...

1. Drink a beer or two and cut the empty can to fit over the solenoid.

2. Test

If a shield doesn't help, the best fix is to install a Ford solenoid on your firewall or fender. Another advantage is that you won't have to worry about getting it wet.

[roadking]

should i take that as not much luck with heat shields? this is my first vehicle with headers, ive always kinda been one of those stock guy.

[Piper71c10]

How do you wire it together with the ford starter solonoid ?

Piper

[kaycee]

I used a empty coffe can and cut it in half and used the starter bolts to hold it on.Has worked good for the last coupla yrs.

[tom hand]

I have a motorhome with a 454 ....no headers but the solenoid was geting so hot it was deteriating the bakelite on the front of the solenoid. Cambells soup can, fiberglass insulation, and a large hose clamp...no more problems. Paint it black and you would never know the differance

[gabet40]

spectre makes a nice shield too that i have layin around. but its probly similar to the summit one and cost about the same

[barn9]

Here is a link to a remote solenoid kit that comes complete and makes for a nice, quality, and clean conversion. You can patch one together cheaper, but this guy has done his homework, and everything except a battery cable is in the kit. This guy has some other useful electrical items also.

Remote solenoid ST-1

[Blue Beard]

Wouldn't be that hard to fab something clean and simple to work out the problem.....

[ScottH]

BTW, I have the same problem on my truck. Just waiting for it to get warmer so I can drop the starter. I did look around a while back and found JC Whitney carried one that looked pretty good, but can't remember the cost.

Best of luck with it.

Scott

[Javy]

nice solenoids

[Javy]

Not to be a dick but if you shelled out the bucks for a crate(or new motor).whats 25 more bucks for a shield and avoid a Ford part in your chevy?
Just my 3 cents.

[Javy]

For about $120 bucks you can buy one of those high torque starters.At SO CAL swap meets you can buy them for $80

[70ChevyLongbed]

I put one on mine, and it seems to help. I had more problems with crappy starters than 'heat soak' but since I had to change starters again anyway I put one on. I picked it up for $8.00 new through a mechanic friend.

It's like this one at Summit

...and it looks like this:

[67chevemall]

MINI high torque is the only way to go!
I think they are cheaper if you can find the GM stock ones at the wreckers or new even. I forget the year but they are on a newer GM pick up 2500.

Cheers

[lewi]

I'm with 70chevylongbed, A couple years ago I had this same trouble after installing headers (they are ceramic coated). Replaced the starter and installed a shield much like the picture and have had no problems since.

Additional note: I am in an area that gets pretty hot in the summers so I don't know if the ceramic coating is enough in other areas but it wasn't here.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I had the mr gasket starter shield on the 454 in my last '67 K/10 Sub, and it worked good. I tried to cannibalize it and put it on my next truck, a '71 Jimmy K/5 w/350 and heddman hedders. It wouldn't fit, hedders too close. So I got an aluminized fabric heat shield to go there now, but I hav'nt put it on yet.

[rodnok1]

Crappy wires and cheap starters always get ya. By a top notch starter(mini or otherwise) and run new wires to your starter, I generally oversize the wires. Most of the time the wires leading down are bad from all the heat. On most trucks you really shouldn't need a heat shield. If you do put somthing on I woulkd get something that insulates and reflects the heat, like a starter wrap.

[Suicide-D]

I use one very similar to the one 70ChevyLongbed posted a picture of. My headers don't kill my starters... 10.5 to 1 compression makes'em last about 6 months... I am going to pony up the bucks after this one dies and buy a mini starter... it shouldn't be too much longer judging from the sounds it was emanating this weekend...

[Tom Felso Jr]

Corvettes came thru with stock. If you find a guy into older corvettes he should have one laying around. I used all mine.$25.00 is not a bad price though. Beats changing the starter...
Tom

[Hooter]

I installed one of those MR Gasket heat shields, worked pretty well but after long trips I would still find that I would have problems, so then a put an asbestos mit (the kind they use in metal forging etc..) and havent had a problem since

[A.P.]

I've installed this heat shield on my starter solenoid, I don't know if it will work but will see as soon as I install my engine.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

I run the summit heat shield and it seem's to work pretty damn good but my next upgrade is a mini starter..

[MrGoodpliers]

I had a '34 5 window with a vette 327, block huggers and pipes went right under the starter. I could only get it out one way-- spinning and cajoling to get the solenoid on the correct side, then up between the firewall and valvecover. I cooked about 5 starters before I broke down and bought a Tilton. End of problem. Sold the '34, now my trucks all have factory manifolds But if I were to put headers on something again, I would do the mini starter thing at the same time...