The Hi-Torque starter motor delivers 200% more cranking torque than the original Lucas M418G while drawing 50% less current, the engine cranks faster and more decisively, with less drain on the twin 6-volt batteries. Particularly beneficial for cold starts, engines with higher compression from modifications, or ageing batteries no longer delivering full capacity. Compact, lightweight, with direct-acting solenoid. Uses the same two mounting points as the original for straightforward fitment.
Why It Matters for the MGC
The C-series six-cylinder engine has significantly more compression than the four-cylinder MGB unit, six cylinders at 9.0:1 compression ratio means substantially more resistance to cranking than four cylinders at the same ratio. The original M418G starter motor was adequate when new, but after decades of use the brushes wear, the commutator develops irregularities, and the solenoid contacts pit, all reducing cranking torque progressively. Combined with twin 6-volt batteries that lose capacity with age and are more affected by cold temperatures than a single 12-volt unit, the result is increasingly sluggish and reluctant starting. The Hi-Torque motor solves this comprehensively: its reduction gearing multiplies the motor's torque output at the ring gear, and its lower current draw means the batteries maintain voltage for longer during each cranking cycle.
Many owners report that the Hi-Torque motor transforms cold starting from an anxious, drawn-out process to a confident, immediate start.