lately my car has been a royal pain to start after driving for awhile. I highly doubt it is electrically related. My car has the larger TPI 350 exhaust on it (manifolds & Y-pipe) is what the car does is when cold fires right off starter cranks motor over without a problem. But after driving I hear the starter dragging and sometimes makes a clicking noise. I've heard the TPI/h.o exhaust were notorious for causing starter heat soak problems, this starter was bought new through GM about a year ago and the car has been doing this for a long time.

The motor is a 90 vette shortblock so I did consider a vette mini starter on it but not sure it will work with my 153 tooth flywheel. And I am certainly not wasting my time putting a stock starter back in the car .... So am I definitely deal with heat soak/starter solenoid issues and I want to know of options on a better starter that will not give me problems on installing (shimming,wiring, etc.)

approx. volt gauge always above 13 volts

battery cables tight

battery holds charge

 

go with mini starter,i have 1 on s-10 built 350,headers run downright beside starter. never had a prob.later jimmy

 

Really sounds more like you got a bad apple starter to me. Either that, or you've got corrosion or a bad connection causing a voltage drop somewhere. I'm running the 350 TPI manifolds/y-pipe on my L03 motor with a reman AC Delco starter, and it cranks right over, even when hot. If you want to upgrade to a better starter, just go with a 93-94 LT1 starter. They're gear reduction and smaller in size, just like a mini starter, and they work perfectly on our motors. You can usually get one of those cheaper than an aftermarket mini starter as well. Heat soak is almost unheard of with any factory, cast iron manifold in most cases. Sounds more like a defective solenoid.

 

Go with the LT1 starter, like he said. They work great.

 

This LT-1 starter will work with my 153 tooth flywheel right? And are the manual and automatic LT-1 starters the same?
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And why a 93-94 only starter?

 

The LT1's use the same 153 tooth flywheel/flexplate, and the nose on the LT1 starter is the small one, like the manual trans thirdgens, so it works with auto or manual. I recommended the 93-94 style because it uses the same length starter bolts. You can use the 95-97 style, but you have to dig up different length bolts for it. I picked up a 95 starter for mine for a good price a while back to use when I put my new motor in. I mocked it up on the motor that's sitting on the stand, and dug up some bolts that are the right length, so it'll work fine. If you get the 93-94 style, you won't have to worry about that though. In fact, I have a buddy who has a good, used 94 starter he's not using. I can ask him if he wants to sell it if you're interested.