Small block starter tip of the week.....

[BCOWANWHEELS]

Guys i thought i,d share a fyi on small block chevy starters. If you want your old chevy truck to crank over like a race horse even on the hottest days and even with the heat off headers dont fool with stock 67-72 chevy truck starters. Get a starter off a 69-70 chevy corvette with a lt-1 small block there hi-torque starters. These are hi-compression engines. I have a 383 sbc with 10-1 compression and this oriellys life time guarantee starter #03-0367 really spins it over and its only $44.64. Plus you wont have that dreaded gear reduction whine. Hope this hhelps somebody out.

[special-K]

Good info. We don't have O'Reilly's around here,though. But,using the 69/70 LT-1 Vette starter makes sense.

[LEX]

I need a starter and will look into this. Thanks.
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[BCOWANWHEELS]

Advance auto,autozone and the rest have this starter too. It also makes it easy on your battery so it will last longer.

[JimKshortstep4x4]

Good to know!

Is a core in needed?

Jim

[MalibuVLX]

Good info. I have a 69 Corvette w/ 11:1 compression and I did not know they had higher output. I do however, use a mini high torque starter on my rockcrawler. I purchased it of Fleabay for about $60 w/ the shipping. I think it is the same one that GM puts out on the early 90's Camaros and Vettes. Sounds like a mad bee when it turns over, but much smaller, lighter and cranks like a bi$#&. No issues w/ heat sink either.
Here is the link. I am not selling these myself, but have installed one on my father's 83 square body w/ a 383 as well and he is thrilled w/ the results. Hope it helps.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CHEVY-SB...item2319b2c215

[jondancer]

Good to know, need a new starter for those hot summer days
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[hugger6933]

I'm sure everyone knows about the starters off the vortec 350 motors from the 96-98 model years from the c-k trucks, they are great starters. But they do whine like one poster stated he wanted to stay away from. Jim

[specialtyretail]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

I'm sure everyone knows about the starters off the vortec 350 motors from the 96-98 model years from the c-k trucks, they are great starters. But they do whine like one poster stated he wanted to stay away from. Jim

These starters are the way to go. They spin the engine so fast, you don't even notice the whine. We run them on all our small and big blocks.

[BCOWANWHEELS]

all the gear reduction starters dont compare to the quality of a good old gm starter. just like a new chevy trucks quality dont compare to 67-72 chevys IMO. THAT GEAR REDUCTION WHINE JUST SOUNDS TERRIBLE IN A OLD VEHICLE IMO

[leddzepp]

I can deal with a gear reduction whine that lasts a fraction of a second at start up

[c10srule]

i have mini starters on both our trucks, couldnt imagine if it took a couple seconds to start, they both fire right up and i dont notice any whining noises, but the boys malibu takes a little longer, dont think hes quite got the hang of starting a carbureted motor, he goes thru the starters, ill have him try the vette starter, thanks for the info

[67swb72klb]

i dont know if they are the same starter as the vortec but i have one from the older 88ish tuned port motors its a smaller size starter and it spins the 327 over real fast

[BCOWANWHEELS]

Also a note on the gear reduction gm starters there almost $200.00 "if" you have a core to trade in. The aftermarket gear reduction starters are all china. With the vette starter you can swap in your old starter as a core with no upgrade. Dont forget tere lifetime guaranteed and for $45.00

[cleszkie]

I totally agree with using a gear reduction mini starter. Have a Powermaster unit on my Blazer. However, I still think it is a good idea to run a remote starter solenoid since even a mini starter solenoid can suffer from heat soak issues. I run a remote solenoid and have never had a heat soak problem. It also provides a nice, easily accessible "keyed power" source for other underhood accesories such as cooling fans.

[dhaymaker]

I don't mind a little whine, as someone said, for the amount of time it takes to fire the engine. Besides, it simply has to whine a hell of a lot less than my ex-wife!!

Originally Posted by BCOWANWHEELS

all the gear reduction starters dont compare to the quality of a good old gm starter. just like a new chevy trucks quality dont compare to 67-72 chevys IMO. THAT GEAR REDUCTION WHINE JUST SOUNDS TERRIBLE IN A OLD VEHICLE IMO

[MalibuVLX]

The whine is short lived and our truck cranks in a milla second. We had issues w/ old style Delco starters once they got a little age on them. The heat soak from the headers killed em quick. The mini starter has had no such issue and very happy with performance thus far. I am pretty sure it is a China or the like made, but couldn't afford the powermaster version. I would love to have one of those, and the high output alternator too. It did take a little getting used to, but don't even notice it now.

[Stocker]

Saved for future reference, just in case.

I'm almost afraid to say this 'cause I don't want to jinx myself..... I'm still on the original starter. I did replace the Bendix drive several years ago b/c the gear failed to engage occasionally, but that's it. Still workin' just fine. Original alternator too.

[LEX]

I'm sold on the O'Reillys starter. My nearest location has them in stock and with lifetime warranty, why not?

[HotRod C/10]

good info!

[Willie496]

Question about starters. I have a 1971 4 speed 4x4. I bought this as a project truck and it did not come with a starter. It looks like the starter has three bolts that run into the bellhousing horizontally if that makes sense. We tried an older starter that bolts up through the bottom into the block like my Camaro, for example. When we tried to start it the engine turned over and the gear would not disengage from the flywheel.
What could my problen be? The wrong starter? This is a 1986 350 block.
Thanks, Willie

[oklalawnboy]

Originally Posted by specialtyretail

These starters are the way to go. They spin the engine so fast, you don't even notice the whine. We run them on all our small and big blocks.

Got one on mine, I don't notice the whine but I'm deaf in one ear and can't hear out the other....

[MARKDTN]

I used to say the same thing until I looked objectively at the facts. To me the mini-starters are absolutely the way to go! That big old heavy beast may have a lifetime warranty, but you won't like it very much when it dies at a bad time. Starters and alternators have come a long way since 67-72. True the original 80s/90s CS130 alternators were less reliable than the SI series, but the CS144 and newer CS130D ones are quite robust. My '01 Tahoe has almost 250K miles and has never had a starter yet (or water pump or transmission). The alternator went to 199K. You won't find that on the big starters. Also, GM gear reduction starters are nothing like Chrysler starters of the day. You don't have all that noise. They are also much more resistsnt to heat and have less clearance issues. Give one a try next time you need a starter. For those with points, you can use a relay to overcome the lack of a coil terminal.

[Andy4639]

Here is a old post I changed my starter with. About 2 years old and not one problem with it.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php?p=4144488

[67chevemall]

I use the CVR high torque mini and love the sound it makes....and it all ways works, no fuss

http://cvrproducts.com/