Starter heat shield ideas

[CoronetDarter]

The Coronet has had hot start issues for the three years it's been back on the road. At operating temps when the engine's turned off, trying to restart it's like having a dead battery. Gasing up is an adventure - have to open the hood while refueling and take my time, wash the windows, etc. After 5 - 6 minutes the starter will turn over so I've never been stuck for an extended period.
Battery is in the trunk with 1/0 cable going directly to the starter, wrapped in heat shield the last 2'. The brown solenoid wire is original but in good shape, routed away from the headers.
Currently using a DEI starter blanket but a lot of guys believe it could be causing heat soak rather than preventing it. So I'm fabbing up a starter heat shield from 26 ga mild steel. I started with the cardboard template and transferred it to the metal. The hole in the upper right runs a bolt that screws into an unused threaded hole in the bellhousing adjacent to the starter (possibly abandoned when converted from factory bell crank to Lokar kickdown cable). The lower left flap needs a 90* bend to go underneath the starter.
The problem is that the mild steel isn't as pliable as the cardboard and there is no room between the headers, trans cooler lines, starter, etc.
Any members that have installed a heat shield, can you give me ideas or pics on how you made it work. Thanks.

 

[sabre67]

Are you running a factory oe starter? A mini starter is an option?

 

[dadsbee]

Ah.. the joys of headers.

 

[Ranger16]

I had that problem once, many years ago. It was a bad solenoid. It would heat up and some contact would expand and loose conatc until it cooled and contracted. A new solenoid solved the problem.

 

[CoronetDarter]

Are you running a factory oe starter? A mini starter is an option?

Its a mini starter from Rock Auto.

 

[CoronetDarter]

I had that problem once, many years ago. It was a bad solenoid. It would heat up and some contact would expand and loose conatc until it cooled and contracted. A new solenoid solved the problem.

The current mini is a RA purchase, have to wonder about the quality.

 

[1967coronet]

I have used one of the flexible glass insulated ones from summit for several years on a full size starter with headers.
Does not seem to heat soak. { Now I have prob just screwed myself }

If you went that route you can cut them down to size.

 

[coloradodave]

Hey, Rich
If that's the same starter you've had since getting your car back on the road, I think I'd try a different one first. I've never had a problem with heat soak with my RB, headers (first TTI and then Dougs) and trunk mounted battery...

 

[CoronetDarter]

Hey, Rich
If that's the same starter you've had since getting your car back on the road, I think I'd try a different one first. I've never had a problem with heat soak with my RB, headers (first TTI and then Dougs) and trunk mounted battery...

Hey Dave,
What a coincidence you replied. I was just recounting to Maria our conversation at the Lincoln car show a few years back.
I've been looking at the Powermaster hi-torque starters and also Mancini sells a hi-torque mini starter.

 

[CoronetDarter]

Ah.. the joys of headers.

Yeah. I hate headers, until I fire up the engine.

 

[Kern Dog]

Hey Dave,
What a coincidence you replied. I was just recounting to Maria our conversation at the Lincoln car show a few years back.
I've been looking at the Powermaster hi-torque starters and also Mancini sells a hi-torque mini starter.

I bought a DENSO starter from Mancini Racing several years ago. It is still in the Charger and it has never failed me. 2" TTI headers, battery in trunk, no heat shield.

 

[CoronetDarter]

I bought a DENSO starter from Mancini Racing several years ago. It is still in the Charger and it has never failed me. 2" TTI headers, battery in trunk, no heat shield.

I'm on their page now looking at that exact starter.

 

[andyf]

Some mini-starters came with a heat shield attached so you might take a look at different part numbers. I used gold reflecting foil on the starter in my Duster since one of the tubes was fairly close.

 

[Kern Dog]

Oil temperature sensor?

 

[andyf]

Yes, I have temp sensors in the oil pan and the transmission pan. I also have line pressure for the trans and driveshaft speed. As well as GPS that tells me speed and altitude. And a built in barometer. The Duster is loaded with sensors!

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I think a different starter is going to solve your problem but if you want to make a heat shield what I did years ago is use a old 1 lb Folgers coffee can.... It fit around the OE full size starter with about 3/8" clearance all around... I trimmed away most of the bottom of the can leaving two tabs to secure it to the starter.... I replaced the thought bolts that mount the back plate of the starter one at a time with all thread leaving it about 3/4" long, used a nut to secure the back plate & then a second nut to secure the heat shield...
Obviously a mini starter would require something smaller but the same concept should give you a good start...

 

[CoronetDarter]

I think a different starter is going to solve your problem but if you want to make a heat shield what I did years ago is use a old 1 lb Folgers coffee can.... It fit around the OE full size starter with about 3/8" clearance all around... I trimmed away most of the bottom of the can leaving two tabs to secure it to the starter.... I replaced the thought bolts that mount the back plate of the starter one at a time with all thread leaving it about 3/4" long, used a nut to secure the back plate & then a second nut to secure the heat shield...
Obviously a mini starter would require something smaller but the same concept should give you a good start...

Ingenious. I ordered the Mancini high-torque starter today (BTW Greg - they don't carry Denso anymore). Mancini sells the Powermaster line of starters too but the tech said they would be overkill for my needs because they' re made for 11-1 and up compression ratios.
While swapping starters I'm also going to replace the OEM 12 ga brown ignition wire with a sleeved 8 or 10 ga but ditch the starter blanket and heat shield. The Mancini tech said if I still have heat soak issues, wrap the header tubes closest to the starter instead of using a starter blanket, for the same reasons several of you have mentioned.

 

[Mick56]

Another way that I have seen to put on a heat shield. Put a muffler clamp on a header tube near the starter, and then use the threads on the clamp to mount a shield.

 

[CoronetDarter]

Swapped in the Mancini starter yesterday. Taking out the old one, starting loosening the solenoid wire and this happened...


the stud pulled out of the starter. To everyone here that said it was the starter, you were right.
While I was at it I replaced the OEM 12 ga wire with 10ga (even found brown insulated to match the original) and wrapped it in heat shield sleeve. Routed both the wire and the 1/0 cable back parallel to the block and then up the firewall.
Today is spent reinstalling the header.

 

[bearman]

If you go to your local hose dealer you can buy fire hose. Cut it to size run your cables thru it. The hose can handle extreme heat and headers won't melt it. I have used it on many applications. The best one was on a heavy haul return line for oil under the exhaust side of the turbo and we all know how hot that gets. Just a thought