I told you some weeks ago I´m re-building a 400 cci 68 GTO block...
Of course I could use the 72 original Delco starter I already own but I think I will need one with a higher torque rate.

The engine compartment should look as original as can be; so if possible I´d like to use an OEM style starter.
ClassicIndustries and YearOne are offering retro style starters with 90ft./lbs torque rating
(Powermaster O.E.M.-style starter
http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/retro_starters.html )
My first problem consists in the fact that I don´t know how much torque an original Delco starter provides (I´ve seen non-OEM-style starters with a massive 200ft/lbs. of torque...).

Will 90ft./lbs. torque rating be sufficient for this block?

Any other starter-suggestions?
A buddy told me about two other brands, the one called "Hamburger´s", the other brand should name "Hi Torque". I haven´t seen it on the web but perhaps I´m only searching the wrong places...

Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated!

Thomas

Find a GOOD local shop that rebuilds starters, and take your starter to them. I have a rather high compression (9.8:1) 469" motor, with headers and a trunk mounted battery - all things which typically cause starting problems. I had a local shop rebuild my GM/Delco hi-torque starter years ago, and I have NO problems, even when the motor is hot.

Lee

As I clicked "Add Reply", I noticed you are in Germany! DOH!! I guess you may not have as many shops to your availability, as I do.

Any way, a GOOD "factory" type starter will work for all but the most extreme vehicles.

Thomas,

Unless you are building a very high compression engine, the stock heavy duty starter should be fine. I have used a original style rebuilt starter from NAPA with good results.

Tom

about stock starters, I have always have had trouble with my starters turning over when they get hot, they come from a local auto parts store that I have a lifetime warranty with, but even new they seem to drag alot once they are hot. How do you prevent this? I do have the stock heat sheild installed also.

It might do the trick or at least a little bit better, if you use thicker cables from the battery to the starter.

on my Ford 351 Cleveland 4V starter I used 50 mm (square millimetre) I don’t know how you count cables area but that is thick as a normal thumb
Tommy

I use 1 gage battery cables and a big mother battery and my stock starter does fine with my 389.

Starter wraps will help, but they're fairly unattractive.

- Jake

Hi Thomas,

i rebuild my original starter two weeks ago ( a good cleaning, new brushes and a new solenoid) and it turns over very easy. I ordered the parts from M&F, they have them in stock. I think the original Delco starters are very good. Make sure you have a good batterie, thick cables from batterie to solenoid (35 mm2) and a good ground and it should work very fine. If you have hot start problems in the future, you can add a heat shield, a Ford solenoid or a high torque mini starter, which would be a very easy fix.

Gerhard

PS: next Sunday is the US-Car meeting in Augsburg, i will be there

Two words:

Mini starter....mini starter....mini starter.

I switched over and I will NEVER ever use those heavy bulky original size starters.

But since you are looking for originality, then follow the other suggestions and rebuild yours or order one.

Thomas

Thanks to all of you for your highly appreciated suggestions! Now my head is swirling because of all the informations you gave me...

First thing I recognized is that I have to use thicker battery cables. Now I have to decide if I go the way of originality or of "brute force".

Thanks also to Thomas (aka trauschu) for his PM and offering me any help in sending a starter unit to Germany!

And thanks to Gerhard (aka Sportsman69) for reminding me of the US-Car meeting in Augsburg next Sunday. Funny thing: reading an american website I get the informations what´s going on in my neighbourhood.
Augsburg is only a short cruise of 25 minutes away from Munich...

(If I go on like this I will sound like the winner of a Hollywood movie oskar: "First of all I´d like to thank my parents for giving birth to me; then..." )

Thomas

Any ideas about this Tilton Engineering Starter OE Replacement Pontiac (except that it´s much more expensive than for example an IMI Starter)?

http://www.tiltonracing.com/content.php?page=list2&id=15&m=s

Thx

Thomas

I have an IMI mini starter on my 68, works great!

After all this positiv feedback concerning mini starters I ordered one at RSB Motorsports today (IMI-108 HiTorque starter, USD 169.95 + 30.00 s&h USPS to Germany).

Wasn´t quite sure if a Tilton Standard Duty Super Starter wouldn´t have been a better choice because of OE appearance. But price is around USD 325.00 + package & handling 10.00 + freight charge 91.00 (because at JEG´s High Performance they only ship it DHL...), that´s a total of 426.61! Plus import tax of around 25 percent.
Too much for a starter...

I´ll keep you posted how it works out...

Thomas Rauschu, could you please email me this pic of your IMI starter we talked about? Still don´t know what it looks like when installed...

Thx

Thomas