starters keep getting to hot need help

yes this thing eats starters never had a problem with my 273 in it or do I have a problem in my red 1 with a 273 . And we did set the timing at 36it was the sweet spot. we broke it in at 34 and reset to 32 for now to get thing buttoned up. I do need a oem shifter to try to stay original looking inside , if any 1 has 1 please contact me asap otherwise I suppose get a new B&M. But back to Rusty , 1nce it was broken in and we droped the idle down I settled it in at 32 and it was nice, loppy, smooth, idling at 170 ,so perfect for a last 20 minute run standing still ,wich my 340 would have blown250 in a stoplight ,cool spins nice and easy at 32 and needs 1 pipe welded up now but at 150 or 170 it wont turn at 5 degrees retarted ,so its not the motor, my 340 was low on compression but when it got hot same thing would happen .do the hi tourque starters have more insulation factor or am I beating a dead horse with an 15 year old positive cable , its 1/2 inch copper thow? thinking outloud mabee I need to put the battery back upfront and try a different cable . its the only thing I haven't done .mabee the old 1 has a bad spot in it , I do have the original battery harness yet.
hmmmmmmmm