I am going to be replacing my starter with a mini-starter and also using a "Ford-style" remote "solenoid/relay"...

I saw a polished stainless steel heat shield for $7... Should I get one, or a total waste?

1970 Small Block with headers.

if you buy a god min starter like powerhouse you should have no trouble i have one on 72 elcamino ss 468 and i have had no trouble with it in 5or 6 years

My starter pooped out on me and while I replaced it (twice) the heat shield didn't survive the process, and the car was difficult to start when warm afterward. Personally I'd spend the cash and be done with it, but likely Kevin is right - my replacement starters were probably garbage before I even installed them but it is a cheap piece of mind.

Go with a good mini starter and it should be fine. The ford solenoid doesn't really do anything unless you are looking for a convenient point for power wires. The Ford solenoid was good on Fords, because it moved the solenoid off the starter. On a GM the solenoid is still on the starter. So putting another one in won't help.

ANY WAY YOU CAN KEEP ANY STYLE STARTER AND OR SOLENOID A LITTLE COOLER IS ALWAYS WORTH THE EFFORT/MONEY ESP WHEN RUNNING A STOCK GM HI TRQ STARTER.
but heat can take its tool over time on even the best aftermarket starters too.

I have been successfully running stock hi trq gm starters on bbc's up to 11.0 comp for almost 40yrs with no hot start issues,even with 20 deg base timing and fairly mild perf cams.

But you need to run a heat shield & also start out with a fresh hi trq starter,powefull battery,good alt with at least 55-61 amps or more,good clean conections on battery/starting/charging systems/ & grnd's to have no hotstart issues.

Its when 1 or collectively more then 1 of the above items are not up to proper operating efficiency/power thats/etc that its an issue with a stock gm hi trq statrter.

BTW,dont forget to also install the stock gm starter brace too.

scott

The ford solenoid doesn't really do anything unless you are looking for a convenient point for power wires. The Ford solenoid was good on Fords, because it moved the solenoid off the starter. On a GM the solenoid is still on the starter. So putting another one in won't help.
I disagree. The Ford-style solenoid provides battery voltage to the short and efficient copper link that powers the "S" terminal of the Delco solenoid. A lot of hard-starting-when-hot problems are due to reduced voltage to the "S" terminal as a result of old, undersized and corroded wires/connections in the OEM harness; and the Ford solenoid and short copper link eliminates the voltage drop problem.

Whether the Ford solenoid makes a difference on the mini-starters I can't say.

I disagree. The Ford-style solenoid provides battery voltage to the short and efficient copper link that powers the "S" terminal of the Delco solenoid. A lot of hard-starting-when-hot problems are due to reduced voltage to the "S" terminal as a result of old, undersized and corroded wires/connections in the OEM harness; and the Ford solenoid and short copper link eliminates the voltage drop problem.

Whether the Ford solenoid makes a difference on the mini-starters I can't say.

That is true, but a lot of the time starting issues are due to headers being too close to the starter solenoid and it becoming a heat sink when the car is shut off. In this case putting another solenoid does not cool the original GM solenoid.

the shields like the ones sold at Checker that are a semi cylinder that seem to slip around the solenoid and only have a small gap between it and the solenoid do not work very well. the bent panel style that have more of an air gap like the 90s chevy silverados do make a difference. just my personal experience in 120+ degree desert heat as a stop and go courier a while back

I prefer the reflective heat wrap that comes with some huge hose style clamps/bands. I would put a heat deflector on no matter what, just good insurance.

As far as the solenoid issue, I put a remote solenoid on my car because I like how the main battery cable is not energized at the starter unless I'm actually starting the engine. I also still continued the smaller starting wire from the post on the remote relay to the starter since mini-starters are permanent magnet starters and can have run-on problems if the two starter posts are linked with a copper bus or wire. So, my starter system works as a traditional Chevy starter system does except the large main cable is not energized, and I have an easy place to put a remote starter button in the engine compartment when I'm working on valve lash, etc.