Customs Exhaust too close to the starter?

I'm replacing the damaged ram's horn manifolds with block hugger headers and it's creating some clearance issues. I think I can handle them, but is this too close to the starter? The nub at the front of the starter is about 1/4" from the flange above it and about a finger width away from the down pipe. I suppose I could get a mini starter, but I'd rather not if I don't have to.

1978 Chevy 350/350 in a 1959 Chevy Bel Air

 

It's close, it might cause heat soak problems. A simple sheet metal sheild would help.

Why not go with a mini starter? Other than cost, I don't have any problem with them. I think GM went to a mini on the later pickups, shouldn't be any higher in price than the full sized ones.

 

Get a factory gm mini starter from your local parts place . Not all that expensive . Pretty sure pickups from the late 80’s - 90’s had them .

you can either make a heat sheiks and cover the exhaust pipe or make one to cover the starter or both .

you can get that cloth heat sheild wrap for the starter and make a simple sheet metal heat sheild for the exhaust .

ladt thing you need is to go out for a nice drive snd then can’t start your rig for a couple hours , or at all !!

 

As @VANDENPLAS states, the later model pickup starters are smaller, and high torque as well. I'm old, when I say later model, I usually referring to something from 30 years ago haha. They're available at any parts place. Put a heat shield on the end, and you should be good.

 

Thanks! Can you be more specific about the starter? I checked 1989 and 1995 c1500s and it looks like they bolt up completely differently than a 1978 (bolts through the bottom) and don't look any smaller. S10s/Blazers didn't have a v8.

 

Depending on flexplate/flywheel diameter there are 2 different bolt patterns on the starter. If you have a staggered bolt set up on your current, its a large diameter, uses GM part # 12606096,. If they are inline, then it's smaller diameter and uses GM 10455709. The parts store or other places should have cross reference for these numbers. Hope this helps.

 

You will cook the grease out of the bushing with the starter that close to the exhaust system .

 

Heat dissipating heat shield--maybe. Smaller starter, little better. Mini starter--solution.

 

Run it the way it is, I bet it would be fine.
I would advise a good battery ground connection to the engine. Amazing how that will reduce/eliminate the hot start problem that we hear about.

 

Look up a '98 starter (staggered bolt pattern) and you need new bolts also (they're shorter). It needs to say Permanent Magnet, they're smaller, lighter and less affected by heat.

REMY 96206 Permanent Magnet Gear Reduction Starter

 

pprather>>>Run it the way it is, I bet it would be fine.>>>

2x.

 

I've used "block hugger" headers on several small blocks without mini starters without issues. I can't imagine that this might be any different...

 

This is the HAMB. We love all things and old. Even hot start issues.
But you’re probably fine.

 

Thermal wrap