Starter wires near exhaust manifold

[PhotonFanatic]

I have an 87 TBI truck, and I'm hoping it's ok for those starter wires to be about 1 inch away from the exhaust manifold. If you're familiar with the way the starter is set up, then you know about those little wires that connect to it. They're pretty short and it looks like they've been repaired a few times already. I'd really like to avoid having to cut them out, and splice in longer wires. So that they could be rerouted.

Had to replace my starter and only recently got around to finishing the job. But I noticed that those wires are close to the exhaust. It's just a stock TBI 350, so maybe they're ok right there?

 

[75gmck25]

Does your engine have a metal tube (about big enough to fit your thumb) bolted on the back of the engine near the firewall?

On my truck that metal tube is bolted to one of the bell housing bolts and it provides a channel for the wires to the starter. That keeps them away from the exhaust manifold until they are close to the starter.

 

[Scott91370]

I wrapped mine with a couple layers of heat resistant loom just to be sure nothing happened.

 

[SirRobyn0]

I have an 87 TBI truck, and I'm hoping it's ok for those starter wires to be about 1 inch away from the exhaust manifold. If you're familiar with the way the starter is set up, then you know about those little wires that connect to it. They're pretty short and it looks like they've been repaired a few times already. I'd really like to avoid having to cut them out, and splice in longer wires. So that they could be rerouted.

Had to replace my starter and only recently got around to finishing the job. But I noticed that those wires are close to the exhaust. It's just a stock TBI 350, so maybe they're ok right there?

A picture would really help. I think the biggest thing un my mind is if they are likely to touch the manifold like going over bumps they might get melted at that point, and over time the insulation is likely to get cooked. I'd take Scott's approach and just insulate them.

 

[Octane]

I burned my wires once.Repaired,wrapped and never a problem.The wrap wasnt cheap at the time.Worth it tho.I finally got rid of the headers.I prefer 2.5 exhaust and flowmasters only

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I had that chunk start on fire once in the 79. So be careful, luckily i caught the smoke right away when we pulled up to the farm, also lucky we pulled up to the farm when we did.

 

[SirRobyn0]

I had that chunk start on fire once in the 79. So be careful, luckily i caught the smoke right away when we pulled up to the farm, also lucky we pulled up to the farm when we did.

Ya, I hadn't really thought of that, I could see that costing a guy an alternator and battery or even the whole truck.... gee you got lucky. Makes me want to go check my starter wiring!

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Ya, I hadn't really thought of that, I could see that costing a guy an alternator and battery or even the whole truck.... gee you got lucky. Makes me want to go check my starter wiring!

Definitely. It was right after the protective tube. One of them grounded out and they all kind of melted together then started on fire lol. Just a little fire but with all the grease and rubber and plastic in the vicinity it wouldn't not have been little for very long.

If the circumstances were any different that day we could have lost that truck that day. If we had pulled into a dry field instead of pulling up directly to the barn in the yard, it probably woulda been different. Most likely could have put it out with dirt though, but with more damage probably.

That was one of my jobs that summer was to redo that whole section of wiring.

 

[PhotonFanatic]

Does your engine have a metal tube (about big enough to fit your thumb) bolted on the back of the engine near the firewall?

On my truck that metal tube is bolted to one of the bell housing bolts and it provides a channel for the wires to the starter. That keeps them away from the exhaust manifold until they are close to the starter.

Yes the metal tube is there, but the wires still exit the tube somewhere around the starter, and the exhaust manifold. I did make sure that the wires will not touch the manifold.

There was an easy zip tire spot nearby, and I zip tied them loosely. So there won't be any rubbing. This keeps the wires about 1 and 1/8th inch away from the manifold. I was concerned that wasn't far enough, and that the heat would eventually bake the wires and mess them up.

A picture would really help. I think the biggest thing un my mind is if they are likely to touch the manifold like going over bumps they might get melted at that point, and over time the insulation is likely to get cooked. I'd take Scott's approach and just insulate them.

I'll post up a couple of pics soon, might be lousy pics though since I'll be underneath.

 

[84GMCSierra]

Does anyone have a picture of the tube that was mentioned? I never knew there was such a thing. Mine is long gone as I have an aftermarket 350 in my 84 Sierra

 

[Rusty Nail]

I may have one of those deals I could get a pix of.
There most definitely was a heat shield tube factory installed in some certain models of rear wheel drive, SBC equipped, GM vehicles that was attached to.... ? the transmission via studs and nuts on the bellhousing. One end of the tube was studded to the trans while the other end had a starter bolt runnin through it.
I'll put a million dollars on that statement, it IS correct.
Them sum britches piss a deared pdq too.
Swap a starter? Bye.
Change the trans? Bye.

That said there have been MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS of the aforementioned vehicles hauling tons of azz for decades on top of decades without them.

I'll look around some other time I'm pretty sure there still is one on the SS. Seems like I remember chasing one down at sometime or scoring one out of the Camaro yard...I've got one. You can bet on that too.

It's crooked, not a straight cylinder, it's kind-of "S" shaped. Or half an S.
@bucket prolly gots one.

Pretty sure there's one on the Monte Carlo.

 

[HOTFOOT]

My 80 k3500

 

[Rusty Nail]

Golden nugget.

 

[Rickf]

I forget if it was my old 6.2NA or 6.5TD that use to eat starters, I ended up extending the wires and used a weather-pak connection for ease of removal.

 

[Rusty Nail]

I found them deals I was talkin about in the fuel pump routing thingy?
Spark plug boot Guard..

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Handy for all manner of Thang.
Like starter wires.
And fuel line.

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