331 Stroker Motor Starter

[k00ksta]

I am currently running 10:1 compression on a 331 stroker motor and the stock starter just does not seem to cut the cake. Sometimes it will turn over a revolution and then sort of stall for a second then continue to turn over and start the engine. When the motor's cold it seems to turn over without any problems so symptoms seem only when its hot. I currently do not have long tube headers on the car I have bbk shorty headers with a bbk x-pipe so maybe its getting heat soaked?

Suggestions on if I should try to mini-high torque starter or maybe wrap the starter in something to deflect the heat?

I would imagine I am not the first to encounter this problem with a built motor so any help would be appreciated.

 

[90sickfox]

Make sure the battery terminals and the ground cables are in good shape. Sounds like the starter is starting to drag....may need a new one. I run a 95 5.0 starter in my fox with 331 and long tubes. I did put a heat shield from Autozone on it but I've had no problems. Is your battery in the stock location or is it relocated ?

 

[k00ksta]

I think yours is doing better due to the heat shield. I am using the same starter you are and it is actually fairly new also. Stock battery location and I have all new ground braids also. I am going to try to heat shield it a bit and see if it helps.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

How much ignition timing are you running? If you run a lot of timing, the car can be a bear to turn over with the stock starter. I'm gonna guess your factory starter has gotten weak over the years. Try the heat shield....if that doesn't help, save up for a rebuild.

...or pull a degree or two of ignition timing.

 

[jozsefsz]

10:1 shouldn't be much of a problem for the stock starter. Obviously check battery and cables (a weak battery or bad connections cause problems starting a warm engine).

If you're running ignition timing correctly (i.e. via the tune and not by adjusting base timing) you should not be having a related problem since the computer retards the timing at startup for you.

Beyond that, I hope it's not that your bearings are too tight... is this a new problem after an older build (i.e. something in the starting system has gone weak), or ever since a recent build (could be bad news)? Younger me had that problem years ago with a new crank and matched bearings, that I didn't verify myself.

 

[k00ksta]

I think you guys just hit the nail on the head .. I am running 14 degree's at the moment. I Just got my Quarterhorse last summer and only flashed it with Decipha's base T4M2 tune. I can almost bet it is that because all ground braids have been replaced last year also and I don't have any electrical issues currently. This weekend I am going to reset it all back to 10 degree's base timing (stock) and see how it goes.

 

[revhead347]

I had the same problem with my stroker many years ago. I tried a new starter with no improvement. It was particularly bad when the car was hot, and the exhaust heat soaked the starter. I ended up buying a Denso gear reduction starter. It is about $50 to $80 more than a rebuilt stock starter. It has amazing starting power. Promise you will never have the same problem again. I don't have the part number on me, but I have seen them recently on ebay.

Kurt