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Old Apr 16, 2007 | 11:04 AM
  #1  
obey_your_master's Avatar
obey_your_master
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Header/Starter Clearance

Does anybody know of any good tricks to reduce the heat being transfered from the passenger header to the starter? I tried some starter wrap, but after running my little 66' down the highway and starting it up again, it cranks slow as if the starter is still hot. I don't have money to purchase a mini-starter, so any help would be great. I also run hedman headers part #89100. Thanks!
 
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Old Apr 16, 2007 | 12:19 PM
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That's the strange thing. I've had headers on my '69 for 19 yrs and never had a starter issue yet. Put them on my '67 4 yrs ago and still no problems, and the heat is so bad it cooks my new plug wires in less than 6 months.

Is my stuff weird or what?
 
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Old Apr 16, 2007 | 03:59 PM
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The "heat soak" affects the solenoid not the starter, Right? I do not have any issues with this either. Chevrolet has this problem due to the solenoid being on the starter and it gets cooked by hedders.
 
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Old Apr 16, 2007 | 06:40 PM
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About 6 years ago i had this problem with a 76 highboy i had. Starters only lasted about 6 months. I am glad you brought this up. As I am currently building my 428 and it will have headers. Hopfully someone can come up with a good reply to this problem. I really dont want to go through starters again. What a pain in the rear!!
 
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Old Apr 16, 2007 | 06:59 PM
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I just posted a reply on this forum a couple days ago about headers...If you have a little space (enough for a heat shield),I took a piece of exhaust pipe,cut to length,then cut in half (length wise),tap with a hammer to open slightly,drill holes on each end, tack-weld nuts to the header to match the holes,use short bolts... I went a bit farther,I used a curved piece to match the curve in the rear header tube, and made the shield double-walled.It blocks heat so well, the header paint on the out side of the shield seemed like it was never going to cure,(it might not have...). and I also used a reduction starter,lots-o-space,and a great upgrade.
 
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Old Apr 17, 2007 | 11:06 AM
  #6  
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obey_your_master
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Hey seetwisted, do you have any good pictures of your fix? I've even used the two pieced passenger header with very bad luck due to several reasons, the flange for the second piece wouldn't seal up right and both headers hit the oil pan. Again, the starter will start slow right after running hard on the highway, but if you allow it to cool off, it will start normal. I still don't like the fact that it starts slow because that usually means something is starting to deteriate in the starter from the header heat.
 
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Old Apr 17, 2007 | 12:12 PM
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I used wrap and haven't had any problems......



Have you tried a different brand of starter? Maybe you just have a bad one.
 
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Old Apr 19, 2007 | 10:48 AM
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What brand would you recommend using? Mine was a rebuilt unit that I bought from Bumper to Bumper.
 
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Old Apr 19, 2007 | 12:44 PM
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In my opinion any starter you purchase will give you the same problem......i would recommend using header tape like in the pic above it will actually almost eliminate any heat the will be conducted to your starter because it is designed specifically for that use and will blow off in the wind while you are driving or when the air from the fan reaches that far back....a.k.a. air cooled, not as hot.

Oh excellent pic by the way, what a sexy setup you have there....lol.
 
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Old Apr 19, 2007 | 01:54 PM
  #10  
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hiball3985
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From: tujunga, calif
Originally Posted by Freightrain
That's the strange thing. I've had headers on my '69 for 19 yrs and never had a starter issue yet. Put them on my '67 4 yrs ago and still no problems, and the heat is so bad it cooks my new plug wires in less than 6 months.

Is my stuff weird or what?
I must have the same weird stuff, mine have been on the 66 since 1975 and still has the same starter and never had a problem...
 
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Old Apr 19, 2007 | 04:40 PM
  #11  
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From: NW Mississippi
Summit and a few others sell a starter wrap. Some fix with velcro, some use metal strapping. That combined with what's mentioned above should keep it pretty chilly.


spots
 
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Old Apr 19, 2007 | 06:01 PM
  #12  
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Headers when new have them ceramic coated on the inside as well the outside for extra heat reflection into the pipe plus longer header life.
 
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