possible starter problem

Any advise.  I have a 68 Cougar w/ t-5 swap. After warming up, starter wont turn engine over, acts like dead battery. Battery, alt and starter all new. Battery checks out o.k, so does alt. Is a high torque starter the answer, or am I looking in the wrong place?  

had the same problem with the high torque starter (c4 trans). had to change to higher gauge (stronger) batterie cables (+ all the way to the starter,and - to block),and a heat shield on the starter (if header runs near starter). works fine now.  

The PMGR starters (like those found on '92 and up Mustangs) have a lot more torque to turn over an engine and just about everything I drive has one. They usually work great and arent' affected by heat.

Since you have a standard starter that's new I'd hate to see you go out and buy yet another starter. Check out the DEI starter blanket (you can get it at Summit Racing or look at DEI's site for a dealer) and then upgrade all of your battery cables. It sounds like you have a lot of resistance in at least one cable and I bet you it is the ground cable to the block. The outer casing cracks and lets air in killing the conductivity of the copper wiring. Same happens at the crimped ends.

You probably don't have to go to racey 2 gauge or 0 gauge wire, but definitely get new cables and make sure all connections are clean and tight. And if you have headers certainly insulate that starter!

HTH...
Mark  
Mark Houlahan
Editor
Modified Mustangs & Fords Magazine

1965 FFR Roadster 427W/TKO-600
1966 Mustang 289-4V/C4
1968 Mustang 4.6L Three-Valve/5R55S auto
1990 Mustang 347/AOD
1998 Escort 2.0L SOHC/F4E-111 Auto
2002 Explorer Sport Trac 4.0L V-6/5R55 Auto

Make sure all the cables are in very good shape and all connections are clean.  You need a good engine to battery negative cable and a good engine to chassis cable.  4 gauge or better and make sure the block connections are clean and free from grime and paint.  Make sure the starter mounting flange is clean on the engine side and on the starter.  Scrub it with Scotchbrite and brake cleaner.

The starter may be new, but it's failing like most fat Ford starters do after a while - they get hot and the armature expands and causes it to drag.  If the above doesn't make it go, get another starter. Could be just a junk rebuild.  

If the car has headers, I'd recommend to just get a PMGR and a heat shield.  Uncoated steel tube headers just kill fat Ford starters.  If you keep the big one, buy one with a "lifetime" warranty so you can get a free replacement because you'll need one about once a year.

I run PMGR starters on the race cars here, both with coated and uncoated headers.  I never use parts store rebuilds - I take them to a guy that's been rebuilding starters and alternators for years.  I get them freshened every two years and have yet to have a failure.  And it's cheaper too.  The race cars get cranked maybe 30-50 times on a Saturday race day and track temps here get to 140F in the summer.  A reliable starter is a must.

Good luck, hope you get it worked out.  
1967 Falcon 4 door 351C-4V
1970 Mustang 351C-2V
http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod
Owner built, owner abused.

Some excellent points made F67. I didn't know his budget, but I'd really rather see a PMGR starter there...

Just put one in my neighbor's '68 coupe. Man, what a difference those things make (and you save 8 pounds too!)...

Mark  
Mark Houlahan
Editor
Modified Mustangs & Fords Magazine

1965 FFR Roadster 427W/TKO-600
1966 Mustang 289-4V/C4
1968 Mustang 4.6L Three-Valve/5R55S auto
1990 Mustang 347/AOD
1998 Escort 2.0L SOHC/F4E-111 Auto
2002 Explorer Sport Trac 4.0L V-6/5R55 Auto

Just went through this whole mess myself last month on my pro street falcon.  I relocated the battery to the trunk.  Running an Optima red top battery, 2 gauge cables and still had problems.  Battery is grounded to the frame in the rear.  Also ran extra 4 gauge ground(s) from the starter bolt to the frame, engine block to the frame.  I have a 140 AMP alternator and I still had to have the battery charger on it to get it started.  I had a Motorsport mini torque starter.  After I got it started, I didn't dare shut it off to get gas ect... It would never start up again, just a "clicking" sound.  Just on a whime I put the stock "fat" starter off my 68 mustang on it.  the car fired right up and have had no problems since.  The mini starter was only a few months old.  Just because it is new, don't rule it out.  I've had my stock starter from O'reilly since 89.  As Falcon said, I've replaced it for FREE about every year.  I've definelty got my monies worth on the lifetime warranty and I have a stack of receipts to prove it.

good luck  

I just got a gimme Ford PMGR - I'm going to take it apart and see what makes it go.

My experience (FWIW) is that once I moved the solenoid to the trunk with the battery and ran a single cable to the starter that the car starts easily.  The Falcon has a 10.5:1 engine with 36 degrees ignition lead locked in and I start it a bunch of times a day at the track, many times 3-4 in a quick row.  
1967 Falcon 4 door 351C-4V
1970 Mustang 351C-2V
http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod
Owner built, owner abused.