Has anyone purchased the Powermaster Powermax 9400 starter for their vehicle? And if so, did you have any trouble installing it?

I just got it in the mail today. Summit stated that it's for a V-8 and it's supposidly full size. But, when I took it out of the box, its friggin' tiny. Looks like that magic bullet mixer really.

 

powermax is their lightest series but more than adequate for a stock motor.

Isn't a 9400 an ultra torque?? I've used those before with good results.

The fact that it's a lot smaller than stock says something about the stock starter. I've used Tilton starters that were super small but more powerful than a stock starter.

 

Summits site says that starter is a mini starter. I dont have that exact one, but I do have a Powermaster starter and I love it. Even with longtube headers, I have absolutely no heat soak problems or hot start problems.

 

It's a PowerMax Model. And I am going to send it back and get a refund. My new battery cables don't quite reach the solenoid. Just gonna get a Duralast with lifetime warranty. At least I'll be able to install the heat shield I bought now. Maybe down the road when I get a new engine, i'll try the mini starters.

 

I installed an LT1 starter in my 91 and it was quite a bit smaller than the massive stock one. The battery cables reached no problemo. I think I just looked up a random LT1 year for my starter, like 1995. Loads easier to install and remove due to its smaller size. You may want to look into one of those before getting the stock type.

Afterwards, I installed a brand new set of stock GM battery cables and those also reached the LT1 starter. The cables were and are still all connected to their factory clips and brackets, so no cheating was needed.

 

I sent the Powermaster mini starter back to Summit for a refund and decided on a Delco Remy Gold "new" starter from Rock Auto. I wasn't really too keen on making things fit so the old style 21 pounder should work for me for another 17 years which was the age of the starter my car came with when I bought it.

 

Finally got around to installing the new O.E.M. Remy starter. It was a pain in the ***. I had to unbolt the exhaust y pipe from the headers just to be able to get the starter out. After inspection of the old starter, I found the source of the grinding noise the car would make when I would start it. The starter gear was chipped and bent on two of the teeth. Luckily, the flywheel was fine.

Once I tightened everything up, I turned the ignition and right off the bat, the car started with no problem whatsoever. I was thrilled that I didn't need to shim the starter as in some cases one has to. I turned the car off and on several times just to make sure everything was fine. No grinding noises, clearence issues, no problems.