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Drag Race Engine Guru's... need starter help

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:53 am
by Shah Mat
My 1975 Nova (in front of crossmember steering) has a small block with Hedman big tube headers and a Milodon pan. Believe it or not a stock GM starter will slide right up there and bolt up fine. I used the stock starter for years with the old tired 406sb. Now with the new 436 and 14:1 I know the stock one won't cut it. Trouble is all the gear reduction starters are offset and hit the pan and or the header tube. Even with adjustable clock positions. I need to find a starter that will fit the original footprint of a stock GM starter and still crank this thing over. Motor is in the car and the headers were just ceramic coated. I hate to have to pull it to either change pans and/or cut the header tube.

Gear reduction/offset-This one will not fit:
http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/10001/10002/-1

Anyone ever use this starter? It says 4.4:1 reduction but I can't tell how much it's offset. If the offset goes outside the circle of the OEM starter , it won't fit.
http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD/121/5095/10002/-1

Pan:
http://www.jegs.com/i/Milodon/697/31167/10002/-1

Re: Drag Race Engine Guru's... need starter help

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 6:37 pm
by vegaracer
I may be the odd man out here, but I run a stock GM starter on my 434 with 13.7:1 compression. Just make sure you have a big enough battery cable.

Re: Drag Race Engine Guru's... need starter help

Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:23 pm
by dakster
I almost never go cheap, but I did with my starter. I purchased a Hitachi mini starter (model PSL-100) for my 585 big block chevy with 14 to 1 compression. This sucker cranks like a mule, hot or cold. I have a red top optima battery and huge battery cables. I am very happy with it. It is very small, and I believe they call it their ultra light or something to that effect. They have them at Checker auto (the super store) and Dyno-Flo has them as well as anywhere on the internet. Only $150.00

Re: Drag Race Engine Guru's... need starter help

Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:26 am
by bracketracer
Power Master 9400 It will spin that motor over with no problem!!!

Re: Drag Race Engine Guru's... need starter help

Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:35 pm
by apacheracing
If you look at the holes in the face of the mounting block on the Jegs starter, that is so you can rotate the motor around and gain clearence. I have a friend who has a 66 Nova and he mounted his basicly upside down for clearence. Most aftermarket mini starters will do this. http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/10001/10002/-1