Starter Eating 350

[Hopelessly Confused]

Okay, my 350 that I put into my 280z keeps breaking my starters and I dont know why. Im on my fourth starter, they have all be remanufactured ones from autozone. They work for about 10 times then they just stop and they make a very loud shrieking sound when you turn the key or the solined doesnt work. When they do work they work great and the engine fires right up. Im not sure what the specs are on the engine seems the previous owner built it up. Im not sure where I should do I was wondering if I should just purchase a higher torque starter. Any suggenstions would be helpful.

[a6t8vw]

I bet its the exhaust heat baking the starter.

A glowing exhaust header 1" away from your starter.

Get a starter blanket 15$ from summitracing.com

[rytherwr]

Starters on Chevy motors (especially with headers) are notorious for solenoids overheating...some things to check:

 

Have some shims and a standard paper clip handy when you install the starter

 

Uninstall the solenoid so you can push the starter gear on the shaft by hand

 

tighten the bolts, push the gear so it engages the flywheel/flexplate

 

stick the paper clip between the starter gear and the gear on the flywheel/flexplate....you should have very little room around the paper clip. If you have too much room, take shims out, if not enough room, add shims.

 

Re-install the starter solenoid and it shoud be fine (unless it gets heat soaked)

 

The answer to GM starters getting heat soaked is to use a fender/firewall mounted Ford style solenoid and it will work every time.

 

Hope this helps the cause. This has solved pretty much every GM starter problem I've had over the years.

 

Even if installing an aftermarket gear reduction starter, you still need to make sure the gear clearance is correct

 

Wayne

[Guest mr. datsun]

First of all, there is a big difference between having a starter that is either for manual or automatic transmission applications (i.e., flywheel). Check the teeth on your flywheel for wear or damage. Secondly, are you using shorty or long pipe exhaust manifolds? Thirdly, make sure you have the heat shield for the starter silinoid since the exhaust manifold is located close to the starter and the heat generated cooks the top half of the starter.

 

I've never had much luck with AutoZone or O'Riellys remans. Carquest uses OE manufactured starter/alternators and you'll have to pay a little extra, but it beats crawling under your Z every other week. Also, check the amperage of your starter for your 350 small block needed to crank it over. Check all wiring and connections for oxidation/grounding since you live in the Northwest.

 

Odds are, it's the intense amount heat coming off your exhaust headers that is frying your starters.

[Hopelessly Confused]

Thanks for the replies, Ill try getting some kind of heat blanket and see how it fares. As for the clearance I'm pretty sure its good, I have zero shims in it and if anything it looks like it has to much space. Yeah im running the sanderson block hugger headers so they are pretty close to the starter. The teeth of the flywheel and the starter look pretty good.

[280zwitha383]

It should be noted that there are shouldered bolts specifically for sbc starters. If you do not use them the starter will move away from the flexplate/flywheel and could cause the problems you are describing.