failing starters
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,379
Likes: 9
From: midwest
failing starters
i have an 89 460 auto with thorley headers and my last starter only lasted a aboout 2 months and the one before that about 6 months and so on. i have an optima battery that is fairly new and keeps a good charge and i checked the resistances in the battery and starter wiring and that seemed to be ok. what could be causing the problem? btw, i already ordered a 160 ftlbs powermaster starter because i hope the starters from autozone are just junk and this will solve my problem.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,781
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From: Central NY
re: Autozone starters
Hi,
Have you been buying their reconditioned ones or the "New" one. I too haven't had much luck with the reconditioned ones in my 5.0 f150 but the new ones last me about 2 years.
If you have headers I suspect heat would be the major source of failures.
G'luck
Popa Tim
Have you been buying their reconditioned ones or the "New" one. I too haven't had much luck with the reconditioned ones in my 5.0 f150 but the new ones last me about 2 years.
If you have headers I suspect heat would be the major source of failures.
G'luck
Popa Tim
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 102
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headers are hotter than stock manifolds and unless you are racing the truck in competiton i wouldn't reccomend you use them as they exhibit alot more heat towards your heads and valves .most street performance engines work fine with stock manifolds and they run cooler.in addition to haveing heat burn out your starter have you checked to see that the starter is fully disengageing ,or have you changed out the solenoid ( if yours isn't mounted to the starter) it will be mounted on the fender near the battery,it will cost about 10 bucks and could be your culprit also . if heat is causing your failure you could try the header wraps sold at any performance store (shiny silver fireproof stuff)-this stuff keeps the heat localized to the headers and less so towards your engine and components.
i should have asked- have altered the compression of the motor at all ? if you have a high compression motor you should use a high torque starter, as the stock ones will fail sooner.
i should have asked- have altered the compression of the motor at all ? if you have a high compression motor you should use a high torque starter, as the stock ones will fail sooner.
Last edited by russt; Oct 17, 2004 at 03:14 PM.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 52
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i had the same problem on my 94, does your truck have the little starter with the silenoid on it? I just bought and older starter from like a 80 f150 and rewired the silenoid on the fender for the older starter. I have no problems at all even with headers on my 460.
Brian.
Brian.
