FE starter heat shield

[shelbydoug]

Is there supposed to be a heat shield for the starter or is it supposed to get cooked like right up against the exhaust manifolds?

[430dragpack]

No shield, so get your steak out!

[Bob Gaines]

No shield, so get your steak out!

+1 .Not so close with factory exhaust but typical aftermarket header tubes surround it closely . Gear reduced style gives most clearance and best performance with headers on a FE IMO. 

[shelbydoug]

No shield, so get your steak out!

+1 .Not so close with factory exhaust but typical aftermarket header tubes surround it closely . Gear reduced style gives most clearance and best performance with headers on a FE IMO.

The headers are not an issue. The factory iron GT manifold is. It's right on top of it.

The engine is still on the stand and I am trial fitting the exhausts now. I've got a set of "pre-owned", "pre-fit" Hookers (with the previous installers added fitment dimples) and they have a couple of inches in all directions for the starter.

I have no previous experiences with the factory iron manifolds so I was more then a little surprised to see how close the starter is to it.


Now, I'm wondering if hot starting issues are partially a roasted starter situation?


It does look like changing a starter with headers on is going to be a little bit of a juggling act though?

[Bob Gaines]

No shield, so get your steak out!

+1 .Not so close with factory exhaust but typical aftermarket header tubes surround it closely . Gear reduced style gives most clearance and best performance with headers on a FE IMO.

The headers are not an issue. The factory iron GT manifold is. It's right on top of it.

The engine is still on the stand and I am trial fitting the exhausts now. I've got a set of "pre-owned", "pre-fit" Hookers (with the previous installers added fitment dimples) and they have a couple of inches in all directions for the starter.

I have no previous experiences with the factory iron manifolds so I was more then a little surprised to see how close the starter is to it.


Now, I'm wondering if hot starting issues are partially a roasted starter situation?


It does look like changing a starter with headers on is going to be a little bit of a juggling act though?

Starter dragging on a already hot engine isn't typically a issue on a stock engine as many hundreds of thousands of FE applications with stock type exhaust has demonstrated without significant Ford TSB etc. Although the hotter the starter is the less efficient it is a rebuilt over bored tight engine that is over heated (expanding parts and causing tighter clearances can put a heavy load on the starter causing it to drag is my suspicion that the hard starting mostly stems from.