Staggered Mount Starters – What You Need To Know

Sometimes when you’re swapping in a new engine, the OEM starter doesn’t fit into the new setup anymore. For example, the OEM starter may conflict with the header, exhaust tubing, or part of the frame. In that case, you would need to move the starter farther away from these parts. Moving the starter further from the exhaust system keeps the starter from getting overheated by the heat radiating off the headers or exhaust manifold. If the starter gets too hot, the starter solenoid won’t work. That means the starter won’t work until it cools down.

In either scenario, one of our staggered mount starters might be the perfect solution.

What Is A Staggered Mount Starter?

Chevy staggered mount starter

A staggered mount starter is simply a starter with a mount that has bolt holes that are staggered – not in a straight line. These became common in the 70’s. At that time, Chevy used two different mounting bolt patterns – staggered and inline. As long as you know what starter bolt pattern your engine needs, you can find a staggered or inline mount starter with bolt holes in the correct locations.

Aftermarket starters usually have an adapter that contains the mounting bolt holes. The adapter bolts to the aftermarket starter. Some staggered mount starters only come with staggered bolt holes in the adapter. Others have both staggered bolt holes and inline bolt holes, allowing them fit more engine blocks.

High Quality Staggered Mount Starters Are Versatile

When you get an aftermarket staggered mount starter, you’re usually also getting an upgraded starter. Some staggered mount starters are smaller than OEM starters. This is a huge benefit if you have limited space for your starter. A smaller starter can help you keep it away from the exhaust manifold. Some staggered mount starters are built for extremely high powered engines. They produce more starting torque than OEM starters, which is better for starting high compression engines.

With a staggered mount starter, you may have more mounting options. Some staggered mount starters (such as this one by Karl Kustoms) have with a circular set of holes in the aluminum mounting adapter. These holes allow the starter to be rotated, or clocked, in the mount. This allows the installer to put the starter in a position that makes it easy to install, and creates as much space between it and other components as possible.

A Karl Kustoms Staggered Mount Starter May Be Just What You Need

If you’re looking for a versatile staggered mount starter, look no further than this Karl Kustoms staggered mount starter for Chevy applications. It’s built for:

  • Chevrolet Big Block V8 engines: generations I, II, V, and VI
  • Chevrolet Small Block engines: generation I

This mount has three bolt holes on the aluminum mounting adapter. The holes are set up to allow for an inline mount or staggered mount. It also has a circular set of holes that allow the starter to be clocked for easier installation.

We have a large selection of starters and alternators. If the previously mentioned Karl Kustoms starter won’t work with your application, you have other starters to choose from. Here are a couple of the more popular ones:

Please contact us if you need help finding the right starter for your application.