The Chinese (I think) starter that I replaced the original starter with is starting to drag. It lasted about 12 years by the way . I kept the original and took it down to Copperstate Alternator exchange here in Phoenix, an outfit that I have used for 35 or more years. It cost 213 dollars and I told them to make it new. Here is the result:

 

Looks good, how much was the Chinese replacement starter?

 

Sorry for the double post. It absolutely looks factory new and I cannot wait to install it. These guys do beautiful work and they have a partner in Tuscon also...Mark

 

IIRC, it was around 140 bucks from ebay, I'll check to see if I can find more details...Mark

 

This one: #141265790395,on ebay,looks similar, but I have no way of knowing if it is the same one or not...Mark

 

$140 for 12 years ain't bad.

 

My OEM starter from 1993 recently went bad when I was 120 miles from home. The local AutoZone had me a Chinese reman unit as replacement for $99 (with core) in about 15 hours that came with a lifetime guarantee. (I did keep the OEM NipponDenso core so my cost increased by $30.)

 

I still have my original starter but it doesn't do me any good since the lockup conversion uses the 2nd gen starter.

 

Well, I got the original starter back in it today and all I can say is: Holy Moley!!! I had no idea how much the other starter was dragging. It is a good thing that the truck always starts in a half a crank. It now spins so fast that the engine can't start on the first crank, because the starter is already on crank 5, it's awesome. The 2 starters look very similar, but if you look close, you can see subtle differences in the bosses. The other difference is the connector on the aftermarket starter is kind of a spade with a philips head screw to connect the wire, where the original has a threaded stud for a terminal and a small nut and lock washer to connect the wire. I'm just going to have them do a regular rebuild on the aftermarket one and it can live in my tool box...Mark

 

I posted the invoice so that the part numbers that they used could be read, but alas, that cannot be read. So, I thought I would type them out:

#nd2040 New armature

#66-82605 New solenoid plunger

#66-82767 and 66-82770 Solenoid contacts

#68-8216 (x2) and 68-8217 (x2) Brushes

#6-200-4 and 6-202-4 Bearings

71-82303 Boot

and 98 dollars in labor, the rest in parts...Mark

 

My $99 Chinese reman from AutoZone looks exactly like your rebuild and also has the spade with Phillips-head screw (rather than the stud with the 8mm nut on the OEM Denso unit). I procured the heavy-duty rebuild kit from Larry B's and plan to try and rebuild the OEM Denso unit myself. The photographs and instruction details in the Sticky are awesome.

 

Yeah, I think that some quality comes out of China and that it is all based on what the customer wants: Read "how much profit they want to make at the cost of quality". I would hope that a company like Bendix or Moog would want quality for the sake of their reputation. I am taking off for a month in Mexico, or I would have tried it myself, the sticky rocks ...Mark

 

Where in Mexico are you going?

 

Bahia De Kino, Kino Bay, Sonora. It is about 60 miles west of Hermosillo and about 340 miles due South of Phoenix, as the crow flies. I love it there...Mark

 

That place looks pretty cool. Nice water! No problems ever driving through to there? I know there are horror stories, but not sure how blown out of proportion the whole it is really dangerous in Mexico thing is?