jRoofgunner

I have not installed many starters except for repair in a couple of cars, truck and ATV. But I'm posting this so it may help others. I had heard, at a car show a few years back about a guy who lost an Olds or two in a fire and the talk was that it started, they thought, because of something with the starter. The car was stopped and just sitting.

Anyway, I installed a Powermaster 3655 on my 389244D block motor. The starter was on the car and motor in the car. I used a new cable. And I put a heat shield on that is attached to the starter solenoid. The head pipe was not on the car, so I was working in confined space.

The battery has not come yet so I decided to test the electrics by attaching a battery charger to the cables. (I have a 2 amp/10amp charger so I figured I can't do too much damage.) Well, I got sparks. Then I disconnected the starter cable at the horn relay. Then I attached the charger and everything worked. Then I got my OHM meter and found that I had a read through from the ground cable to the positive cable going to the solenoid. I could not see anything by looking, so I took the starter off. What had happened was the cable, apparently when I tightened it moved back just enough for the starter shield to cut into the cable and cause the grounding. It was so slight but enough. I could not see it. I tried to take a photo but it didn't turn out. So I reattached the cable, and made things so the problem won't lead happen again. So I have learned. I can also see how a fire could start because if the distance was just right, with temperature change, things could start to glow, and it would not be good; one reason to have a battery cut off on a collector car you don't want to lose.

oldcutlass

This is not an uncommon issue, I know of no one who has done this twice.

jRoofgunner

BTW I called Powermaster's tech line regarding the 5/8 nut that holds the large cable onto the solenoid. 92INCH pounds torque or what he referred to as "wrist tight".

oldcutlass

I have a powermaster starter, they work great. You have watch that you don't overtighten or cause the stud to rotate while tightening.

jRoofgunner

Yes. They give you the torque specs for attaching the starter (32 ft. Lbs) but as a precaution it would be nice if they publish the specs for the 5/8 large nut for the cable. Of course common sense dictates that an electrical part like the solenoid can't take a whole lot of torque. This is like a mechanical trap and I thought of that when I tightened it the first time while it was on the car. The second time I reset the nut with the 93 in lb while I had it out of the car so I could make SURE it would'nt get cut, bump or otherwise ground out. For future work on starters, I will remove it then attach the wire and NOT try it while on the car when I cannot see well.

Also, from experience: If you have a starter that is slow or won't work well and you know your battery is good, and the starter is good, and cables good and you have cleaned the terminals good BUT it still won't work well AND you have an aluminum block motor (in my case a 1982 Datsun 4wd truck) the problem is in the engine ground which you can't see. What happens is the steel bolt that attaches the ground to the block loses it conductivity with the aluminum through the block (gaskets, seals, etc.) so the starter doesn't get full voltage. Even IF you clean the threads. My truck spent it's life in CA. where it was dry. You have to find a new ground. This drove me crazy and it was not until I used a jumper cable ground to test it and found out. Again: what gets you into trouble is what you don't know you don't know!!!

oldcutlass

I never use the bolts that come with the mini starters and opt to use a knurled stock type bolt. You may have to measure to get the right length as the ones for the stock starter are usually too long.

cdrod

What's problem with the PowerMaster bolts that you don't use them? Just curious.

oldcutlass

The diameter is smaller than the hole and allows the starter to twist on hi comp engines. The knurling keeps the starter lined up. Also in some instances some come with metric bolts, so be careful.

dream66

X2 !!! emphasis added

cdrod

Oldcutlass:
So where do you get the shorter bolts with the knurling?

oldcutlass

I got mine at NAPA.