I'm sick of cheap autoparts store starters. What kind are you running?

My 327 powered 56 Bel Air has had a high torque on it for almost ten years and still going strong.

 

I'm running a high torque mini starter from jegs. I've been down the road of crappy auto parts store starters, but my biggest issue was space and heat.. 2 years with the mini and going strong.. I was getting waay to quick at changing starters

 

Sorry, I'm not able to get on here to often guys. Im blown away at all the responses though! Changing the starter every year is a little exaggeration, but its not too far off! The motor is a very mildly built SBC. Its has shorty headers and plenty of clearance for heat. The starter always sounded great and turned over quickly and quietly, the one day it just does nothing. I stick a long piece of pipe down there and give it a good WHACK, then it cranks right up! Thats usually how they go out for me every time.

 

You're still looking for a starter?

 

Also, the truck isnt even driven that often anymore. Does letting it sit do anything to the starter? Ive never heard of letting it sit do anything to the starter but I dont know.

 

I havent really looked yet, the weather is getting nice and Im wanting to drive this thing on a daily basis again.

 

I'm in the Powermaster camp.... Never had an issue with them; the geard drive adds a lot of cranking torque.

4TTRUK

 

I have been curious about mini starters. A Powermaster might be a possibility.

 

After going through starter hell and ending up with a hi-torque, I can honestly saay, I'll never go back to a regular starter.

My starter problems were fixed after 4 starters and adjusting my timing. But after doing research on the hi-torques, it makes sense to use one. Hell, the hi-torque I got was CHEAPER than a new regular starter! My research revealed that the regular GM starter is touch and go, even when new. There's a reason why GM went hi-torque on some later year cars and trucks. Chrysler has been using hi-torque for years.

They're smaller and use less amperage. And most after market hi-torques give you the ability to move the housing around to fit your headers. They just make good... no... GREAT sense.

So, now I have a brand new SBC starter as a back up, but I doubt I'll ever neeed it.

 

in 1964, I was in a barbers chair when the old guy in the next chair asked the barber if he knew of a young fella that needed a summer job. My barber nudged me and soon I was in the old guys one car garage rebuilding starters. The old guy had been a Model T racer when he was young and had a Model A tudor in the back yard. He had stories to tell too. There is not much to go bad on a starter. Usually the brushes or the bushings wear out. The field coils can go bad but rarely do and when they do, its obvious. The armature rarely goes bad either. Turn the commutator down if it needs it. You can do this in your drill press. Undercut the mica and shine the commutator with sandpaper, replace the brushes and bushings from ebay and you're good to go. Grease the bushings too.

 

Powermaster on my Chevys, no problems at all.

 

please do a voltage drop test on both the positive and negative side, if the truck is not driven too much your battery might be at fault, you MUST have 12.6V, as IDEAL minimum 12.4V. Anything less that battery will not be able to hold the cranking cycle thus making it seem as if your starter is at fault ,remember, 12.4 minimum not 12.2-12.0 . This is very crucial! Once you perform the voltage drop test you will be able to determine what is causing the starters to fail prematurely. The battery cables despite popular belief DO get sulfated /contaminated which causes a high level of resistance and in turn puts a lot of strain on that starter causing it to fail. the NEGATIVE cables(ground )are just as important as the positive and DO fail. Please make sure the ground cables are in tip top shape!
In perspective,most modern vehicles have a minimum of 3 ground cables.
Chassis to engine,battery to chassis,starter to chassis/body.
Look for these values when performing a Voltage Drop Test
POSITIVE SiDE- generally less than 0.3v for ground side
NEGATIVE SIDE- voltage reading above 0.5v is excessive
Wish I knew how to post pics here but I'm not able to do so,please look up how to perform a voltage drop test on line or you tube.
Unless your car is a super high compression motor the oem design is just fine.
Hope this works for you
J

 

Agree on NAPA quality.HOWEVER,I would`nt go in the local NAPA on a bet.I would be afraid of catching a terminal disease the place is so filthy.Most likely has not been cleaned since the day after Noah grounded the Ark.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo