Switched over to a GM HEI distributor that has about 16 to 17 degrees mechanical in it with a 10 degree vac can. I started with 15 initial and would get 32 total in by 2800 rpm's. The motor responds nicely to more timing so I bumped initial up to roughly 19/20(last mark on tab is 16 so close estimate). Engine really takes off(throttle response)but now have hot start woes where it will turn over very slowly and occasionally won't start at all until cooled off.
What are my options? Will a high torque mini-starter resolve this or can I experiment with different weights and springs to get more mechanical therefore lowering my initial to get 36 or so total timing in at 2800 rpm's? Amazing what the difference of 3 or 4 degrees in timing does for responsiveness! Pat Kelly was right, it was like a "cam swap"! I'd like to keep the response at a minimum cost but not sure of best way to attain my goal. :confused:

Is your alternator putting out 14 volts?

I had that same problem, turned out to be a dying alternator, agitated by alot of initial timing.


if you do decide you *want* a ministarter, look no further then CSI, or Tilton.

I use a CSI, the regular ministarter ($225) and it works flawlessly, it weighs about 1lb more then the tilton, and was tighter fitting then the tilton.

Scott, I had similar trouble. As motor martyr said above, it was (still is) my alternator. I'm currently charging my battery at home every two weeks or so to get it to full charge, as my chrome alternator isn't putting out a full charge anymore.

Oddly enough, I only decided to check it after another show participant was asking me if I had any trouble with my chrome alternator, that his kept overheating and would die early. I said no, but kept thinking about it - I had a hot start problem that I fixed with a new battery. Then after a month it came back. You guessed it, it took that long for the charge to get low enough to have that affect. Went away after a full charge.

Yup, you're looking for 14+ V at 1600-1800 rpms. ALSO, it could be a dud battery. Ask me how I know!? It didnt materialize until after I swapped to a spring type cable which wasnt quite the brute the old bat cable was. ( make sure your cable are tight and heavy guage enough and ensure you have good grounds from the engine to the frame/firewall) So , it could also be a cable. ( in my case it was a battery that wasn't all that good - switched to a genuine Delco R69 and SHAZZAM!)

BTW, I start a 10.5:1 427 with 215 psi cranking compression with a standard iron nose starter. As long as the whole starting system is copasetic, there should be no problem.

Wolfehunter,

You can play with your HEI a little for more mech advance. I changed out wts and played with the springs and just picked up about 2 degrees to 18 - 19 deg. advance. I set my timing for 36 total and let the initial fall where it may. Doing it this way, I have 17 -18 initial and my slow starting problems are history also. 18 seems to be the magic number before starting problems occur. At 20 initial (unless you have a real low CR around 8.5/1 and/or a long duration cam), the timing starts to become more of an issue.

Also, make sure your battery cables are of adequate size to carry the current. You'd be surprised how much bigger cables can help crank a high compression engine with a stock starter.

I'm running the most compression I can stand on 93 octane with Vortecs (about 10.5:1 static, and around 8.2:1 dynamic), and have had initial as high as 22 without hot starting problems.

On the other hand, I had hot starting problems with 8.5:1 static compression and a 270 seat-to-seat cam when I had old and undersized battery cables.

The stock starter hasn't failed yet, it came with the car when I bought it in '96, and there's no telling how long it was in there before that.

I've got two new 4 or 6(can't remember but bigger than what it had) gauge battery cables on there right now. How do I test my alternator so I can take that out of the equation?

Drive to any autozone or similar car parts store and they should be able to test your alternator and battery for you free.

If those 2 new cables were put on right before the problems started, I'd look at those connections also.

I do a voltage drop test. GM says cranking voltage should not drop below 9.5v (or preferably less) when cranking engine. This is critical especially if you are using ECU(computers). If cranking voltage is low all other posts are right on. Battery/cables/weak starter/too much initial timing- however a strong starting system will start BB/SB at 36 degrees locked in.

I run my timing locked out and have had my share of starting problems. I bought an Optima battery and have had no problems since. The other thing I did was install a momentary contact switch on the ignition wire to the MSD box. I would hold the switch and crank to get the motor turning over then let off and the car would fire. I now run a MSD digitial retard box that takes 20° out when cranking.