pcard

Here are two photos of my starter. I had some heat soak issues and am going to add a heat shield.
Is the Philips head screw shown in the photos the required attachment point for the heat shield?

m371961

The screw you are talking about holds the windings in the case.

oldcutlass

The heat shield can attach to the mounting screw of the solenoid back to the bolt that starter bracket attaches to the block.

stlbluesbrother

Hi Peter,

The heat shield was offered in 71 and 72 (and perhaps other years). In 70 there a bracket to secure the starter. I've attached a screenshot of page 13 of the 1970 Engine Assembly manual showing how the bracket was installed.

That said, I would expect the heat shield for 71 to be attached the same way. I just checked my extra parts and the mounting holes lined up exactly the same for the bracket and shield.

Mike

1970 Engine Assembly.jpg

Octania

I've seen two or three types of support/ shield/ ground strap

One as seen above in the A.M. dwg, secures to a hole in the side of the starter. Don't use too long a bolt. Some starters do not have this hole. This can be either a simple 2-dimple strap as seen in the dwg, or a wider heavy steel unit that shields as well. Top end of either goes where you have a bolt trying to eat thru the starter feed wires, using a very short 3/8 bolt w/o a washer. Like shown in the dwg. Your wires tuck in under that boss and strap/ shield/ ground, for protection.

Another type secures to a stud end of the outboard starter case bolt. Some starters do not have a boltstud, just a bolt. Easy to change. I think the top end of this thin shield goes on the solenoid to starter screw. It will NOT serve as a support or ground strap.

BlackGold

For what it's worth, I'm not convinced that the starter soaks up its heat from the exhaust system, not even with headers. I think it comes from the block.

Whenever I've had hot-start problems, it's not within the first 20 minutes after shut down. Try to restart early like that and it always cranks. It's only after sitting for about an hour that it fails to crank. This is LONG after the exhaust sytem has cooled down.

I think that as long as there's air moving through the engine compartment -- and coolant moving through the heads and block -- the starter stays cool enough. It's only after everything stops that the engine's residual heat is conducted and radiated into the starter. And the heat from the exhaust system is insignificant (just by virtue of the much smaller mass). If this is true, then a heat shield will only make things worse, trapping more engine heat in the starter. But go ahead and try it and let me know.

Incidentally, the last time I had a heat-soak hot-start problem, I fixed it by replacing the battery-to-block ground wire.

stevengerard

I agree with Brian, seemed to happen like that to me but I did notice the longer I drove the car the shorter that time was that the starter got heat soaked. In the beginning I'd turn the car off, start it up and the car started right up and I thought I was ok, an hour later I'd go to start the car and nothing. Usually within 70 - 90 minutes after stopping the car would restart. I learned to keep a water bottle with me and soak the starter from underneath each time I stopped. That worked 60% of the time.

citcapp

There have been a number of forum discussions on this issue. Myself and several others believe the fault is with the starter used on the heat sink. The 455 used a High torque starter on the 455 and you have to ask for it for a parts house that you can trust to find the right unit. I have the same tight fit in my 57 Olds as shown in the pictures. High compression 10.5:1 compression and never have these issues with a stock 455 High torque starter. Just my two cents

mmurphy77

From last week:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ak-issues.html

pcard

Thanks guys - I guess I opened up the old discussion about heat soak, high torque starters et. al..
If you recall I had the heat problem when driving out to Springfield in July.

I surmise I do not have the correct starter ala the assembly manual, since there is no attachment point in the correct place for a brace.
I will use the other type of heat shield that Octania mentions; and by the way the bolt into the block isn't really eating into the wires. I was surprised to see that there. It seems the guy who installed the harness just used it to keep the wires tucked away from the exhaust.

Cheers, Peter