What brand starter to buy?

[Skandocious]

Whelp... Starter is going out. Went to grab a bite to eat this weekend and went to start my truck in the parking lot... CLICK!! Shoot -- solenoid. So I jump the terminals on the solenoid and nothing. Crap dead battery. Measure the voltage across the posts, it checks out... Huh? Hit the starter with a 1/2" socket drive wrench, fires up!

What brand should I be looking for? Money's no object here (within reason... I don't want a 24k gold starter).

 

[blacksnapon]

Uh, One That Works!

 

[Skandocious]

Lol, shove it! I'm looking for a new one, not a reman. Locally I can get a new NAPA starter (he says probably made by Rayloc), or a new Autolite. On rockauto.com, for my truck, I saw:

Bosch
Motorcraft (reman )
Cardone Select
ACDelco
Remy
Spectra Premium
NSA

And summit has mosting Powermaster starters, as well as a CSR:
http://store.summitracing.com/egnse...5+4294906186+115+4294907043&Ntk=KeywordSearch


Whats the crowd favorite for starters? My brother has an OCA in his truck and says its a good starter... Can't seem to find one of those for my truck.

 

[Brian_B]

Might be off topic, but I was not aware there were different brands of starters. I have always just went to the parts store and gotten what they had on the shelf. I might learn something here...or not.

 

[d-kuzmen]

Do you know anyplace that rebuilds them, that would be my choice.

 

[6L PWR]

Do you know anyplace that rebuilds them, that would be my choice.

I always take any I have to a rebuilder in my area. For $79.99 he rebuilds them with a 5 year warranty. I have yet to ever take one back.

 

[Skandocious]

My brother says he knows someone up near my moms house that'll rebuild it. He's trying to get in contact with the guy. I'll keep ya'll posted, thanks for the idea

 

[Brian_B]

I guess I never had many issues with starters. I replaced the one on my ranger once in the 16 years I had it. the A4LD cracked a flex plate and damaged the starter or it would still be the original. I remember replacing one on my torino back in high school. Maybe that is why I didn't know there were brands.

 

[Skandocious]

I remember replacing one on my torino back in high school.

They had Torino's in the 1800s?! Wow I didn't know that...

 

[Brian_B]

They had Torino's in the 1800s?! Wow I didn't know that...

Yes...they were 2 horse power back then. They were pulled by two horses and used candles to light the way.

 

[6L PWR]

Yes...they were 2 horse power back then. They were pulled by two horses and used candles to light the way.

Good thing you upgraded to the '56 with manual steering and all!

 

[d-kuzmen]

I always take any I have to a rebuilder in my area. For $79.99 he rebuilds them with a 5 year warranty. I have yet to ever take one back.

It's the only way to go, beats that other junk them guys are selling. Getting harder to find people who rebuild them now though.

 

[Andyman8282]

Yeah, I've heard good things about getting them rebuilt. Most places stand by a pretty hefty warranty too.

 

[eco]

Powermaster, mean greens

 

[Skandocious]

Is Powermaster a good brand? What does 'mean greens' mean?

 

[95F350XL]

I know powermaster for the alts, mean green is a company that makes alts and starters. There usually more high performance applications. At least the ones ive seen. I have a ACDelco in my truck. Works good, starts the truck. I wouldnt have had to change in the pos cable didnt break off the stud when when I changed my engine.

 

[eco]

Yes, powermaster makes good, brand new, starters and alternators.

Mean Green is a manufacturer of top notch starters and aternators.

http://www.mean-green.com/

 

[Skandocious]

Here's what I don't understand... What makes for a 'performance' starter? Like, how does it start my engine BETTER than a regular starter!? Lol. All I'm looking for is one that won't break for the rest of the time I own the truck (next several years).

 

[Skandocious]

Holy crap the Mean Green starter for my engine is $300! Okay I said money wasn't an object but I didn't think starters existed at that price... Okay so let me restate it. I'm looking to spend around $150-175 on a nice new starter

 

[eco]

Here's what I don't understand... What makes for a 'performance' starter? Like, how does it start my engine BETTER than a regular starter!? Lol. All I'm looking for is one that won't break for the rest of the time I own the truck (next several years).

If you want a "rest of trucks life" starter, then buy a mean green starter.

What makes one better than another? The "performance" starters are less prone to heat damage, lighter, smaller (they leave more room for headers...your favorite mod), they use higher grade materials, heavier duty roller bearings (and more of them throughout the starter no less, some designs don't even use roller bearings), heavier duty shafts, a more ideal gear reduction etc. etc.

These things are the be all, end all of starters. I will buy one to have on hand for when the one in my van goes out.