C3 Corvette Heat Soak Starter Problems Fixed Permanently! Swap Old Starter For A Gear Reduction Unit

If you ever have had issues with your C3 Corvette leaving you stranded due to a heat soaked starter, give this one a try! Bolts right in and works with just a few modifications that are discussed in the video!
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[@valengreymoon5623]

In my experience, these came from the factory with heat shields for the starters.

[@davidleeroth805]

How about adding a simple heat shield to protect the starter?

[@nonsequitur807]

Heat shield, exhaust wrap n upgrade starter would be a nice combo.

[@vettekid3326]

Back when I started driving in 1972 my dad had a 1969 Chevy Impala with a 327 that was terrible about heat soak. I replaced the solenoid one time as my auto shop teacher suggested but it didn't help. Put a whole rebuilt unit in with the same results. All you could do was let the engine cool down for about 15 min and it would start again. The reason why the mini starters weigh so much less is they use permanent magnets instead of big heavy copper field coils. Much more efficient and draw less power.

[@donhenderson5100]

Nice upgrade video Ben. New, better and lighter! Its good to see these cars having better options.

[@gertsiekmans9246]

We changed our startermotor recently, heat issue was only when driven for 45 minutes, outside >90F, and parked in the sun. Happening more often, so made the change to a new high torque unit, rotates like a 4 cylinder. Very happy!

[@edstingray3828]

I rebuilt my 1972 350 base engine and had heat soak problems. With heat Shields. I powered coated a lot. We finally ran no anti freeze with 2 bottles of wetter water. That was 1999.. I wrapped everything from starter and exhaust pipes. Wetter water worked. I live in Oklahoma.

[@stevegarrett4869]

My dad and I both had 74’s back in the late 80’s. His had hooker side pipes and had hot start issues. A screw driver start would get it started. Later a mechanic added a tiny little box that he claimed somehow doubled the voltage. This fixed the issue, don’t know what it was. My car never had a problem. Mine had regular hooker headers hooked up to the stock exhaust.

[@phillipd6994]

Just did this mod the other weekend, mine is a 80 4 speed, bolted straight in no shimming. Starts straight away even after a decent drive no problem. All this and my ring gear teeth are chipped .

[@robertbelardo7087]

Why don't you wrap the exhaust in that area with header wrap.

[@wkjeeping9053]

There is a short in the plug wire @ 6:15. It jumps spark that far

[@BigDaddy-dv4wb]

Mike told me to get one of the upgraded starters at Hammond’s in Garland for the BBC. It should be ready tomorrow.

[@michaeljkowar]

I use or add the 20.00 heat shield aftermarket don’t know the brand on the stock starters, and believe me it works so much better, never have a hot starter issue…. Especially with headers….

[@johnquinn7643]

Chrysler had gear reduction starters in the 1960s.

[@tombob671]

Ben for some reason GM has a bad habit of putting the starter near the hot exhaust. They were also hard on A frame bushings. The worst was a 1957 Belair 283 power pack Factory Duals. The crossover pipe was very close to the starter. Got about 2 years out of the starter . Fast forward to1982 Olds omega 4 banger kept cooking starters until I realized that the heat shield was missing. Replaced the shield and no problem.

[@markusstrobl1067]

Many of these new replacement starters have plastic planetary gears and only last a year or two. I had one just like yours and went through 5 of them (lifetime warranty). Finally had enough and replaced it with a PowerMaster mini starter and it has been fine.

[@alzg8779]

Good Stuff Ben......Thanks!

[@allenvaughan1]

Rockin that Fred Flintstone 5 o'clock shadow, eh Ben!

[@byronholt4912]

Good to know!

[@gordonschmidt5829]

If your Chevy has the pattern where the bolts are straight across from each other use a starter from a 1995 Camaro Z28 5.7L. It also is the smaller gear reduction unit.

[@mikestone7692]

Nice upgrade

[@AshleyMartinAshleybabyy]

❤

[@63grandsport11]

I was curious why your original starter did not have the rear support bracket that attaches to the engine block

[@johnsarian_cu]

AC Delco is chinesium now too? 😥

[@rea8755]

My 1977 small block just began making a light clicking noise when running. It clicks after start up and after running for Awhile. Any thoughts? Thanks for all videos. So much info! Thanks.

[@abrdds]

The weight difference is astounding... wow. Did the oe starter come with heat protection/shielding??

[@suefladager8374]

Very nice and informative video Ben! I'm experiencing heat soak issues with my 79 L48 w/ long tube headers. The clearance between the hi torque mini starter is less than 1/16th"...wondering if this AC Delco mini starter will provide more clearance? Any chance you've run across this condition? Thank you!

[@allenvaughan1]

The headers on my '77 cooked 3 starters in six months--until I sold the car. My '68, well, it's the original starter! OEM manifolds though. Still, some sheet metal fabbed to shield the starter wouldn't hurt.

[@stfitness-du4bq]

Do you have a video on replacing the ignition switch on the steering column 77 C?

[@edstingray3828]

New question. How do u get the passengers mirror to stay in place. Yes repoduction. The mirror will not stsy in place.

[@seanbrimhall4163]

Would this work for a manual transmission car too ('80) or does this starter only work for an auto car? Aren't there some differences between starters for auto and manual cars?

[@crawford323]

How about the LS4? Does the 454 have the staggered bolt pattern? And who or where can ships the smaller specialized bolts?

[@jaylozada3407]

👍

[@geauxtigers70714]

Why does nobody put a link to where to buy the part's

[@AdamPepeWerderits]

Does this fit a 68 C3?

[@bmwspeedman]

how would this work in an earlier C3, since the older C3's have two wires + battery wire? this only has one post. I had to go with a high torque Powermaster that looked identical to the original because of the wire issue.

[@paulattanasio3061]

Have the same question. 69 with a 350? Would it work?

[@johnboutchia2349]

Not only lighter but being smaller a little farther away from the exhaust

[@doolallyproductions7234]

Im done with gm style starters i only use powermaster mini starters now they are worth every penny and last almost forever

[@wkjeeping9053]

That grind tells you that it had maybe 3 months left for working

[@jeffreyshepherd8488]

First!

[@ELCONdaMAN]

Ben will this starter work on my 1972 Corvette? kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKPJq2uphpeUsJY