Replacement Starter for FE and Ground

REDSC400 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-07-2006, 08:29 AM

I will soon be replacing my tired full sized FE three bolt starter which, by the way, has provided 13+ year of good service with a new CVR Protorque #5049.

After a long run, the current starter is beginning to exhibit slow starting behavior when the engine is really hot, espcially on a hot day. I strongly suspect that the starter windings are presenting high electrical resistance after being bathed in the heat of the engine compartment. But after all these years, it has provded great service when all is said and done. No complaints. Just a dab of preventative maintenance needed now.

If anyone has retrofitted any of these mini high torque starters to your FE, please let me know of any tips or such that I can learn from. I was wondering if I should wrap the new starter in one of those heat shield blankets, for instance? Or is that overkill?

Also, my battery (Optima) is mounted in the trunk. There are a series of AWG 0 gauge negative ground cables that connect the battery to the frame and engine. However, I was wondering if perhaps adding an additional 0 gauge cable from the first negative frame ground point running directly to the engine block would or could provide a more direct power source?

Cobrabill · #2 (**permalink**) 08-07-2006, 09:20 AM

One 0 or 00 cable is sufficient.All mini's are index-able.Index the solenoid AWAY from the headers.

Rick Parker · #3 (**permalink**) 08-07-2006, 09:26 AM

These type starters by design use less current and can utilize a smaller cable if desired. WIN/WIN.

REDSC400 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-07-2006, 02:06 PM

Cobra Bill and Rick, that is really good news. Thanks for the info. The CVR does allow me to "index" the starter and solinoid to the billet mounting plate... eggg-slant!

REDSC400 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 04:51 AM

Well, I put the new CVR in this weekend as I had the car up on the jackstands in order to change a leaking clutch slave cylinder. I figured that I might as well do the starter as well.

The CVR (from Gessford Machine (Club Cobra Sponsor)) is a really beautiful unit. The starter can swivel to any of 18 positions (360 degrees) so that placement is very customizable. I created a "jumper" wire to jump the two terminals thus making a single wire hookup. Works swell. The CVR makes a higher pitched noise than the old Delco unit. The date code on the old starter was 1966 so it was original to the block.... some durability eh?? 40 years.

The one item that you should be aware of is that you can choose (I did) a position on the CVR that makes mounting bolt insertion a bit tricky. Otherwise this starter is just a wonderful thing. I wonder if it will last 40 years? (I won't be around to tell....heh heh).

Oh yes before I forget... the car now starts up happily and cheerfully when hot. No hesitiation at all.