Need a suggestion. I believe the answer is a new gear reduction starter but just want to make sure before spending the $$$$$. I have a 354 Hemi. Engine #ty5562130. I'm told this is an export version of the 56NE motor used in the 300 series Chryslers. Casting # confirm this information.The motor was freshly rebuilt when we purchased the car and have all invoices for the work and parts. Starter, cables , battery , carbs are all new or rebuilt with the starter returned to be checked at a local knowedgeable rebuilder . I believe the engine is a 10-1 cr. , has dual wcfb 4 barrels , solid lifters with the dimpled covers. They installed a hp melling oil pump during the rebuild. The car will usually start cold with a half rotation of the starter but when it doesnt, it wont start at all.( also acts this way hot) . It has fuel and spark. It just seems the cranking speed of the starter is too slow. Starter is drawing 10.6 under crank load. Battery is 675 ca / 875 amps. I have tried a larger amp battery with no crank speed difference. Is this as good as it gets with the stock starter ? Have I missed something ? This thing runs great and sounds extremely strong . It shuts off immediately. Just like a race motor.
We are going to require some video to help you with your problem! When rebuilt, were higher compression pistons put in or are you still essentially running to stock spec? The stock SHOULD turn it in either case, but higher compression would certainly make it work a little more. Instead of dropping the dough on a mini starter I would find a local auto-electric shop and just have them rewind it. Would be a shame to change up that engine. I'm sure that's a beautiful engine too! Post some pictures!
dumb question, but you have verified a good ground to the starter (not just the engine) and good contacts from the power lead to the starter and battery terminals right? the hemi could be a little tight from the rebuild, but the stock starter should throw it over fine. Wonder if a regular Mopar gear reduction unit would work? Those things will start a 13:1 big block with no trouble.
Sounds like the starter you have needs some attention, Your described problem sounds like a "Heat Swelled" Armature. I had a GTO that developed that problem after i installed headers on it and got the starter Hot.. After awhile if it didnt hit real quick it wouldnt start and you would have to wait till the starter was cold again. A STOCK Hemi starter will work just fine, NO need for one of them Expensive & UGLY Mini Gear reduction starters. I run a STOCK 6V Starter, Run on 12v on my 11.5~1 Compression DeSoto with NO problems... Spins it over just fine and starts Quickly. Why do people so Quickly ***ume they need all these New Fangled gadgets when the Original parts are tried & true ?
I agree - a stock starter ought to work just fine on your combo - something's definitely amiss there. Running a 6 volt starter on 12 volts was an old hotrodders trick and makes perfect sense, but those darned 6 volt starters are defintely tough to find nowadays. Nothing wrong with running a late model "denso" gear reduction starter - in addition to getting parts for them anywhere they are also light as a feather compared to a stocker. An added bonus is that they are so darned small - could come in handy in certain motor swaps. On my '47 Ford truck (had a 392 swapped into it in the mid 60's) they had to move the steering column to clear the ginormous factory starter. That wasn't so bad but then they had to shorten the pitman arm as well resulting in a reducing turning radius - I need to fix that!!! A "denso" FACTORY starter will squeeze in there allowing me to undo some of the mod's previously done. Lots of ways to skin this cat - choose the one that makes the most sense to YOU!!! After all you're the one who has to live with it. Good luck whichever method you choose.
Sounds like it's heat man. Of course the tight motor, thick oil, and high volume pump add a lot of work. I would either try having a good auto electric company rework the thing, or at least try wrapping it in header wrap or building a heat shield.
Yu know? Heat and starters is something that I forget about and it also reminds me that this is something that I will probably have to address in the near future.
are you sure the timing is OK? Too much initial timing can cause the engine to drag some especially when hot, plus the fact you might have some tight tolerances with the rebuild.
First thing to make sure you have are good cables and connections. Was the heat shield re-installed by the starter? Does tapping the starter with a hammer when it does this remedy the situation? If it does you've got worn brushes and need a rebuild. Also, you said that the motor shuts off immediately. Like a race motor. Sounds like you might also be dealing with "rebuild stiffness" which should go away pretty quickly. I rebuilt the 354 in my 56 New Yorker last winter, and it didn't "coast" much after you turned the key off, but after a couple of hundred miles it coasts a little longer after shutoff. There's a lot of rotating m*** in the old hemis......
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