My stock starter is finally starting to die has a dead spot in it occasionally. I am wanting to know the best mini starter out there in your guys opinion wanting to put a little more room between it and the header on the passenger side. As always any input is appreciated!!

 

I've had the same PowerMaster mini starter for over ten years and still runs perfect. Lowest compression it's seen has been 9.5:1 and highest is the current just under 11:1. Never had heat soak and clearance is on par with the rest.

 

Any/all of the "mini" starters are SO FAR SUPERIOR to that old Stone Age direct-drive Delco POS these cars all came with, there's no realistic comparison. Might as well compare a slingshot to a BMG .50.

Like Tibo I put one on my car a LONG time ago; early 90s if memory serves. It's still there. Mine however is one of the Nippondenso based ones, where the Powermaster is a Hitachi. Both are MUCH smaller, lighter, more powerful, faster, and otherwise BETTER IN EVERY WAY than the WW2 thing you have now.

Another good choice is a LT1 one... direct bolt-up also. All you need is the correct new bolts.

 

Spent $50 on a dbelectrical mini starter and have been happy.

It didn't solve all my hot start problems; the purple wire has to be getting too hot causing resistance. I'm beefing that wire up to compensate (n10 = dual pipes by starter = too hot)

 

Interesting. This being in your field, is there a clear winner between the Nippondenso Vs Hitachi?

 

I don't really think so... both seem to work great. They're different shapes, so it's possible that one might fit better than the other in different situations, but as far as function, they seem about the same. The Hitachi design is physically more similar to Delco in things like where the terminals are, and so might be easier to install. Other than that, ... seems to be a wash.

 

As luck would have it, my starter (the 10+ year old one) started to exhibit symptoms of heat soak. When I pulled it I realized that I did not have a Powermaster (One of those things in life where you swear up and down it's one thing and then you find out it's not). I had a Nippondenso style starter. So I thought what the heck, I'll try a Hitachi (went with the Power Master 9000).

Couple of obvious differences between the two are that the 'Denso based starter has a shorter and thinner main housing (the part that is attached to the aluminum mounting block) when compared to the Hitachi. But the opposite is true when comparing the side housings, the Hitachi's secondry housing is much smaller than the side body of a 'Denso style. In fact with the Denso style starter the main housing is smaller than it's side housing.

I'm running Hooker Long tube headers (1 3/4" primaries) and the clearance with the Hitachi is better so I heat sink may or may not be less with the Hitachi. I think the 'Denso starter had about 1/2" of clearance. Both starters I had to clock with the secondary/side housing below the main housing. If I had shorty headers I don't think I would have any clearance issues and heat soak probably wouldn't be as big of a deal. Yes, my headers are heat wrapped. Also, if you have shorty headers your best bet for a starter may be the starter from, say, a 1995 corvette. The compression ratio is about 10.4:1 so it should work fine since most of us don't venture above 11:1. It is a Nippondenso style starter and from the parts stores carries a lifetime warranty.

The 'Denso electrical connections are on the side whereas the Hitachi connections are on the back. I had to change the end of my cables to hook up to the Hitachi starter, I almost sent it back and bought another 'Denso just because of that.

They weigh about the same, sound the same.

 

I have a Powermaster. No issues. Works great.

GD

 

MSD dynaforce.No issues either.