headers and starters

[86chevyk20]

I got a set of flow tech headers on my k20 and a duralast starter.

never drove the truck still not road worthy but alot of starting and just running. My new starter(bought in may) has been getting slower and slower turing over the engine and yes my battery is good its brand new.

And now my starter just turns the engine over like once and just skips and pops nasty noises eek.

soo i know the headers did that cause i know headers will kill starters.

So should i do? get another duralast starter and wrap it? or get or make a shield?

what are my choices here guys.


thanks

 

[bobehud]

Ask them if they either a small body high torque starter for it...i have a 454 and headers split two nose cones until i got the small body unit

 

[HotRodPC]

Duralast starters are junk to start with as far as I know. You can keep exchanging them if you want, or bite the bullet and buy a good starter and be done with it. Your pick.
If you choose to buy a good starter, I'd probably still do the Duralast exhange, and keep it up on the shelf in the garage for a back up or should you get another vehicle that uses that common starter.

 

[davbell22602]

That starter wrapping shield is fire hazzard.

 

[crazy4offroad]

That starter wrapping shield is fire hazzard.

********. I have had it on mine ever since I got my headers, and never had to replace a starter. Heat wrap material is cheap, and worth it in my opinion.

EDIT: I should add a date to that. Headers were done around 1998.

 

[HotRodPC]

I don't know that the wrap is a safety hazard, but I do like Bob's idea better. Go with the smaller starter like off of a 96-99 Vortec 350. Not only is it smaller, its also a gear reducted high torque starter and should turn your motor over faster than it can idle. OK, maybe not that fast. Also keep in mind, once you start driving the truck insteading of just sitting all the time, the temp near the starter will be much cooler since the truck will be moving. So you might be OK with a new exhange and just start driving it if funds are an issue like they are to the rest of us.

But do be prepared the high torque gear reducted starters are not cheap. If you can find with a lifetime warranty, it might be worth it, shouldn't have to work hard and should last quite some time. Heat shouldn't be an issue either.

 

[HotRodPC]

That starter wrapping shield is fire hazzard.

********. I have had it on mine ever since I got my headers, and never had to replace a starter. Heat wrap material is cheap, and worth it in my opinion.

EDIT: I should add a date to that. Headers were done around 1998.

Maybe some brands have been in the past, but I've never heard of them being a problem either. Chances are if its made in China its made with flammables and lead based paint, if its made in USA then its probably just fine. We are aware that we are trying discipate heat, not create it. China

 

[davbell22602]

********. I have had it on mine ever since I got my headers, and never had to replace a starter. Heat wrap material is cheap, and worth it in my opinion.

EDIT: I should add a date to that. Headers were done around 1998.

That starter wrap is just like using aluminum cooking foil. That starter wrap keeps the heat that the starter produces from cranking inside that foil with nowhere to go. If gonna wrap something wrap the exhaust not the starter.

Example: When cooking that big fat turkey at Thanksgiving what keeps the turkey hot when covered in the foil. The foil does cause there's nowhere for the heat to go thats coming from the turkey.

Just think whats happening with that starter wrap on the starter with nowhere for that heat to go when that starter generates heat from cranking the engine over.

 

[HotRodPC]

That starter wrap is just like using aluminum cooking foil. That starter wrap keeps the heat that the starter produces from cranking inside that foil with nowhere to go. If gonna wrap something wrap the exhaust not the starter.

Example: When cooking that big fat turkey at Thanksgiving what keeps the turkey hot when covered in the foil. The foil does cause there's nowhere for the heat to go thats coming from the turkey.

Just think whats happening with that starter wrap on the starter with nowhere for that heat to go when that starter generates heat from cranking the engine over.

I could see your point if you lay on a starter cranking and cranking and cranking but you don't. For a starter to be cranking over 20 seconds is very very rare and it only has to crank that long if you have a bad check valve in your fuel pump and need to pump up the fuel. The wrap is to keep header heat from getting to the starter and burning up the coil windings and cooking the brushes.

 

[crazy4offroad]

I still have to disagree, from my experience and all the years I've had it on mine. It isn't like aluminum foil at all, and my starter doesn't get that hot. It's more like Nomex fire resistant material with a reflective, but porous outer coating.

 

[bobehud]

ok guys now your playing with something i have a lot of experience with.

Heat wrap is ok to wrap a starter in but the small body gear reduction starter is the way to gk AZ is not the starter you want,Delphi,AC Delco either are leaps and bounds better made.

wrapping headers not a good idea.it traps all the heat within the header metal,thin wall metal which becomes brittle quickly and in some cases will blow chunks out..been there seen..once on a camaro once on a civic with a hair dryer he heat wrapped everything

heat and current dont mix thats the way it is.Gm even made factory heat shields that bolt to the solenoid.just because the correct answer you get isn't the one you wanted no need to be rude

 

[HotRodPC]

ok guys now your playing with something i have a lot of experience with.

Heat wrap is ok to wrap a starter in but the small body gear reduction starter is the way to gk AZ is not the starter you want,Delphi,AC Delco either are leaps and bounds better made.

wrapping headers not a good idea.it traps all the heat within the header metal,thin wall metal which becomes brittle quickly and in some cases will blow chunks out..been there seen..once on a camaro once on a civic with a hair dryer he heat wrapped everything

heat and current dont mix thats the way it is.Gm even made factory heat shields that bolt to the solenoid.just because the correct answer you get isn't the one you wanted no need to be rude

Yep, I agree with all that up there, down to the AZ junk starter and to get the Delphi or AC Delco. That also goes for Electric Fuel pumps, Delphi or AC Delco or nothing. My 454 C20 truck has an OEM heat shield on the starter solenoid. It actually clamps around the solenoid. I made sure I put it back on too. And that is for OEM exhaust manifolds.

 

[89Suburban]

You guys stick with the stock ex manifolds and starter heat shield you'll be cruisin care free like me.

STOCK FTFW

 

[crazy4offroad]

You guys stick with the stock ex manifolds and starter heat shield you'll be cruisin care free like me.

SLOW FTFW

Fixed it for ya!!

 

[Old77]

You guys stick with the stock ex manifolds and starter heat shield you'll be cruisin care free like me.

STOCK FTFW

Fixed it for ya!!