HELP! Starter shorting on turbo!!!

[malc350]

Don’t know if anyone else has experienced this but since last night my car has been plagued with an intermittent no-start (cranks real slow and laborious).

Did the usual things like charged the battery but on taking out the starter I’ve noticed that the copper post on the starter which is connected to the + battery terminal actually has been making contact with the turbo and shorting out!

This has actually happened before just after I bought the car and I wrapped the offending contact with starter heat shield blanket material but it has finally burnt through (took about 1.5 years though!)

What I have done now is cut the post on the starter down as short as possible and used a smaller nut and it just misses the turbo by about 2mm. Just in case there is some movement between the components while starting or driving I’d like to pack the gap between starter contact and turbo with an insulating material that will take the heat.

Anyone got any ideas what I can use? I don’t think the starter heat shield blanket material is up to it – I need something fireproof.

Also anyone else had this same problem on a 90 or any other year B2K. I suggest you guys take a look next time your under there (very hard to see though).

Regards, Malc.

 

[*89x2*]

Malc - Good to hear from you!!! I appreciate you posting the *Heads Up* on this as I am sure it is worth a look for all of us as it is a tight package under there

Hope all else is well your way - Hey, I met Keith from the UK, at this years Corvettes @ Carlisle - He told me he has a Callaway TT (in addition to the Yellow proto. LT5 car) ...Nice fella

 

[malc350]

Hi 89x2

I saw Keith yesterday, he mentioned you guys. Good to be part of a community!

P.S. I'm becoming a starter removal / replacement expert! Still a pig of a job though!

 

[*89x2*]

The only person I know of, who had considered peeking at his starter was SurfNsun... Not sure what he decided to do on that or is he had clearance issues - Surf... Any input????

Malc, Keith's car was right behind us the whole Carlisle time - It got a lot of attention while there

 

[malc350]

Sorted it guys

After grinding the posts down as much as poss to get some clearance I've put heat resisitant material round the terminals - interestingly the orange spark plug boots used on the Callaway plug wires are amazingly heat resistant - try holding a lighter to the material (not the orange "plastic" side) and it takes ages to burn!!!

I figure if a rubber oil hose that is connected directly to the turbo can take the heat (don't know how?) then I should be ok with my mods.

Car spins up right off the button now. Gonna get some more throttle time!