hot starting issue and heat wrap

[oldgal]

Gents,

Just an FYI.

With my recent 428 build and once I got her running I had an issue where, due to heat soak, the engine wouldn't crank when hot, not fast enough to start anyway.  I was using a re-manufactured stock starter with Sanderson shorty headers, there is around 3 to 4 mm clearance between the two.  No room for a heat shield.  I read on here and elsewhere that heat wrap could help so I tried it out, this is what I found.

Prior to heat wrap I would have to wait 15 minutes with the bonnet open on a 30degC day for the starter to be cool enough to spin the motor.  Check with a IR temp gun straight after a drive I was seeing around 250degC at the starter housing.

After heat wrap, in similar weather I only had to  wait 4 minutes with the bonnet closed to be able to crank.  IR temp gun straight after a drive was showing around 150degC at the starter housing.

Conclusion,  IMO,  heat wrap helps but in my case did not help enough.  I bit the bullet and bought a clockable "high torque" reduction drive starter.  No issues starting now, hot or cold...

[Stangman]

Good to know what make starter did you get and do you have a stick or automatic. Also does the starter engage properly, and last but not least how much clearance between headers now

[oldgal]

G'day Stangman,

I'm in Australia so I went with a locally made CAE unit.  They have a good reputation over here. 

No issue with the starter engaging. Interestingly, the pinion teeth do not travel all the way through, there is a stop (for want of a better word) at the engine end of the pinion to prevent it over shooting the ring gear.  I test ran it before final fit with some grease on the pinion, it doesn't travel to the stop but does engage fully with the ring gear.

The gear reduction end is prolly around 1/2" from the collector but the motor end is around 2 1/2" away from the nearest tube.  I may fit a heat shield to this one later to protect the investment.

Cheers,
Phil.

PS,  she's a manual.

[My427stang]

What is your inital timing set to?  Also, what are you running for cables and a battery?

[Stangman]

All good info old gal. My 427Stang has some good questions to and maybe some compression and cam specs

[oldgal]

What is your inital timing set to?  Also, what are you running for cables and a battery?

G'day Ross,  Initial timing is set at 8 to 9 deg,  I can't go any higher due to pre-ignition when I open up the throttle.  Remember I was asking about DCRs a week or two ago,  the compression is way high for 95 octane fuel. The cables, power and earth, are 1/2" copper I made myself. (I used to install batteries in telephone exchanges for a job) The battery is 625CCA and new.

All good info old gal. My 427Stang has some good questions to and maybe some compression and cam specs

Hi Stangman, static compression is 10.25 to 10.5:1 (depending on which calculator I use. Cam is a Comp XE262H