[Baba O'Riley]

Car is a '71 Formula, stock starter and exhaust. I get slow/won't restarts when the car has been running more than 30 min., especially in very warm weather (I'm in Southern California, and Sept./Oct. can be the hottest months.) On one occasion a 90-min drive killed my taillights; on another, it fried my power window switch.

Will it help to put heat shielding on the starter? Should it be one of those fabric wraps, or a metal shield? Any specific product recommendations for this?

What about heat-wrap tape around the adjacent exhaust line? Again, any specific product recommendations? Are all of these tapes secured with metal ties, or does someone make one that's adhesive-backed that will withstand exhaust heat?

Thanks as always for the expertise that abounds here and has for many years.

[njsteve]

I wrap the solenoid with heat reflecting material and also use a starter heat shield for the solenoid. It's worked very well for me.

[Baba O'Riley]

Thanks, NJS... do you happen to remember which shield you used, and was it for a stock starter and not something like a mini-starter?

[1965gp]

You could use a mini starter if you want but I have always found the cables make a big difference. I go to stereo shops and buy ‘0’ gauge cable. It’s like an inch thick and really makes a difference. Usually comes in a bright color so you need to loom it. Don’t forget to buy the large terminals for it. Well worth the investment.

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by Baba O'Riley

Thanks, NJS... do you happen to remember which shield you used, and was it for a stock starter and not something like a mini-starter?

The stock version.

[Baba O'Riley]

Excellent, thanks.

[78w72]

if you have a stock starter & stock manifolds you should not be having hot start issues... i have ran headers & stock starters for a long time & had zero hot start issues. there are many other factors that could be causing the problems, a bad/weak solenoid/starter, dirty loose connections, bad or missing grounds, or too much advance timing. i would check & confirm all other things before blaming the starter.

they make adhesive heat tape that would stick to the starter/solenoid, but not designed for exhaust pipes, summit or other brands carry it. i think they make a starter heat bag too.

also im curious how a hot start would fry your power window switch or brake lights?

[mlewisariz]

With stock set-up a metal factory heat shield would suffice.Also get a high-temp solenoid. (High-temp has brown bakelite cover,standard is black) If your local auto accessory emporium can't figure it out, tell them to look under Corvette apps. Cooked electrical switches or lights is most likely a ground issue.

[njsteve]

You might want to get the starter checked out. I just pulled the one in my Grampa's 1971 Lincoln last week that would never start once it was warmed up - you'd get the same dreaded rrrrrrurrrr - rrurrrrr of a couple turns and then nothing.

I brought it to the local auto-electric rebuilder in town and he took it apart and rebuilt it. He said the internal armature had a bend to it that would bind up the starter when it was hot. Once he replaced it, the thing spins just fine now when hot.