Hot Starting the 418

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Guys.... My new 418 runs like a top but sounds like it needs a battery recharge when I try to start the motor after it is completely warmed up. I get this this slow moan for a few turns before the starter starts to spin normally.

I have been thinking about replacing the brand new Delco starter motor that came with the build with a high torque starter.....Ford SVO hi-torque, etc. The timing is set at 10 degrees initial. The motor spins freely when cold, but moans too often for the first 2-3 seconds when hot. Am I heading down the right direction with a new hi-torque starter? Any experience whether this is going to fix my hot start problems? Motor has 1000 miles on it.

[Ron61]

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How close to the headers is your starter? Heat from the headers has been known to cause this on a lot of these cars. Also where is your battery and what size battery cable do you have? I had to use a high torque starter but my compression was to high for the stock starter to even start mine cold. I also used some reflective heat material to insulate my starter from any header heat. You could try backing the timing off just a little and see if that helps, but I would suspect heat affecting the starter more. And if it is the stock starter then it will be affected more than a high torque one.

Ron

[DAVID GAGNARD]

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What Ron said...............

If your starter spins freely when cold it is most likely NOT your starter.......or timing...... I'm running 12 degrees intial advance.....

I'm running a stock starter on a 10.4 to 1 compression 351-W,had the same problem,it was heat soak as my headers "wrap" around the starter.... Tried different starters with the same result,bought the starter heat wrap kit from Summit and wrapped my starter,no more problems,been that way for three years now......

David

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David - the product you bought from Summit, was it the Thermo-Tec wrap, the Moroso aluminum heat shield plate, or the Design Engineering aluminum blanket??

[DAVID GAGNARD]

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I used the Thermo-Tec Starter Heat Sheild,part # THE-14150,$22.25 in my latest catalog.... It is kinda long I think the add says 22" long,I used it all and just wraped the starter using all of it and then used the two stainless steel clamps around just like in the picture in the catalog......Have not had any starting problems since,BTW,I'm using the el-cheapo 19.95 Auto Zone stock starter for a small block Ford....

David

[Hal Copple]

when my stroked Windsor was new and tight, it would be reluctant to spin vigorously when hot. I tried a number of things, i then had the hi-torque mini ford starter on it. Tried the heat wrap thing, but even on a cold night, when hot, it would not crank very well.

Perhaps if i had waited until the engine was broken in, the problem would have gone away, but i soon purchased a monster torque starter from CSI, it was about #$360 or so, bolted it up, it was a slightly different hookup from the solenoid, easy wireing change. I had the starter mounted solenoid "clocked" so it is is under the starter, away from some of the heat, and put on a small aluminum shield in front of it, to reduce the splash.

I am very glad i have had it. Sometimes, when my motor is hot, with winter gas, it will flood and percolate, this sometimes at a bad place, yet my starter, the biggest one they make, will spin my motor hot or cold fast and long. I never ever want to have a lazy starter. This thing would crank over the titanic's engine.

Just a bit of security for me.

[DAVID GAGNARD]

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Click on the camera icon next to my name and go to my gallery,I uploaded three pictures of my starter that is wraped with that silver asbestos looking stuff from Summit....

Not to sure how to post them here,when you go to the gallery,click the photos and it will show you an enlarged photo,pictures are pretty good and will show how close my headers are and how it is wraped and best of all it WORKS.....

David

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Thanks for the photo shots.