Straight drive starter or Gear reduction? What's the concensus?

[junk]

So what's good? Direct drive or gear reduction starters? I've had direct drive on my trucks with no problem, but have been leaning towards a gear reduction because they are smaller and a little easier to install. Also I was thinking the Gear reduction doesn't tax your batteries quite like a direct drive, but that doesn't make sense to me.

So which way should I go? Either way I'll probably get a starter from DB electric.

Thanks,
Jeremy

 

[Dave 001]

Nippon Denso gear reduction without a doubt....at least that's my opinion.

 

[Knuckledragger]

AC/ Delco straight drive is the best, but you have to keep batteries charged. A gear reduction starter will turn the engine over on weak batteries, but a direct drive turns the engine over faster. I have never had to crank more than 2 seconds to start the engine, presuming all is well elsewhere.

 

[Mulochico]

And the discussion continues..........



I am interested. Mine is straight drive, kinda cranks slow. jim X 3 came down one day to time his truck (he has a gear reduction) wow that cranks over well. Not sure if I will put out the extra $ next time for the gear reduction , but seriously thinking about it.

 

[junk]

On db electric the starters are like 100 and 125 so they are really close in price. And guys have been having good luck with them.

 

[icanfixall]

This is what quickly starts a diesel idi engines. Our fuel system must be kept in great condition. That means no air leaks. The injection pump must be in good pumping condition too. The injecters must not be leakers. Compression needs to be kept high too. So the higher the cranking compression and the FASTER the engine cranks over... The better we will have a starting engines. Diesel needs 940 degrees to ignite it. The faster the engine turns over the hotter the air will be that been compressed. Compressing air creates heat. Ever wonder why a pushed truck startes better quicker. The engine is being turned over quicker. So its starting faster because the engines cranking is making the air hotter to ignite the diesel thats being injected into the hot air in the cylinders. Lots of reasons for a quick starting engine.... I prefer the gear reduction starters and the mitsubishi has worked well for me. What works for you may be differant.

 

[Black dawg]

So what's good? Direct drive or gear reduction starters? I've had direct drive on my trucks with no problem, but have been leaning towards a gear reduction because they are smaller and a little easier to install. Also I was thinking the Gear reduction doesn't tax your batteries quite like a direct drive, but that doesn't make sense to me.

So which way should I go? Either way I'll probably get a starter from DB electric.

Thanks,
Jeremy

I have been having good luck with the nippondenso style gr starter. Your truck should have the mitsu gr starter on it already.

 

[junk]

My 89 had a straight drive starter on it that is currently on my 93 as its gr starter was toast when I bought the truck. I'm looking to get a starter for my 89 to replace the one I stole. I'm leanin g towards a gear reduction.

 

[SparkandFire]

All of the starters for our trucks are "gear reduction"
The inline starters (on the right) use a planetary gearset with a traditional bendix solenoid, whereas the offset (on the left) use a traditional offset gear with an inline engagement solenoid.

The difference is the starter on the left (offset type) uses 2.5 kW to operate, and the inline starter (on the right) needs 3.6 kW. That's a difference of almost 100 amps. If you have marginal batteries, or weak cables, the inline type starter will have more difficulty starting the engine. That's why I went with the offset type starter, and my truck lights off in about 1 second of cranking.

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[junk]

Good to know on the startet types. I've always assumed the inline type was a straight drive not gear reduction. Thanks for straightening that out.

 

[Knuckledragger]

All of the starters for our trucks are "gear reduction"
The inline starters (on the right) use a planetary gearset with a traditional bendix solenoid, whereas the offset (on the left) use a traditional offset gear with an inline engagement solenoid.

The difference is the starter on the left (offset type) uses 2.5 kW to operate, and the inline starter (on the right) needs 3.6 kW. That's a difference of almost 100 amps. If you have marginal batteries, or weak cables, the inline type starter will have more difficulty starting the engine. That's why I went with the offset type starter, and my truck lights off in about 1 second of cranking.

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Now wait just a cotton picking minute. You say there are three choices?

A gear reduction starter does not refer to the pinion/flywheel final drive. It refers to the torque multiplying gear assembly within the starter housing. A direct drive starter has only one armature/drive shaft. Gear reduction starters generally have the motor offset to utilize the gear set. The gear reduction starters have a shorter motor and it may even spin a little faster than the direct drive. It also has a lower electric demand because of its lower power rating. I have never heard of an inline planetary gear reduction starter, although it seems logical to make, saving space.

Which starter you use is really a personal choice. I chose the direct drive because it is powerful, simple and durable. It is also heavy and difficult to install. The gear reduction starters are easy to install, use less electricity (will tun over the engine on failing batteries) and readily available everywhere. They also turn the engine slower and have more moving parts (the gearbox) to fail.

You have to make you own decision, both starters have positive and negative aspects. You decide which one fits your requirements.

 

[Dave 001]

There are 3 starters available for our IDI's.

The starter on the left is the Nippon Denso off-set gear reduction.

The starter on the right is the Mitsubishi planetary gear reduction. The planetary gear set keeping everything inline and possibly causing some to believe it is direct drive.

The Delco direct drive starter is not pictured. As the name implies, it has no gears, no gear reduction, just a motor with a starter drive on the end of the armature.

 

[Dave 001]

I chose the direct drive because it is powerful, simple and durable.

If you choose the starter on the right, you did not choose a direct drive starter.

 

[Black dawg]

All of the starters for our trucks are "gear reduction"
The inline starters (on the right) use a planetary gearset with a traditional bendix solenoid, whereas the offset (on the left) use a traditional offset gear with an inline engagement solenoid.

The difference is the starter on the left (offset type) uses 2.5 kW to operate, and the inline starter (on the right) needs 3.6 kW. That's a difference of almost 100 amps. If you have marginal batteries, or weak cables, the inline type starter will have more difficulty starting the engine. That's why I went with the offset type starter, and my truck lights off in about 1 second of cranking.

You must be registered for see images attach

funny part is that MOST of the mitsu style (the long osgr starter) that are being sold are only 2.5kw or less, and they suck.
the factory original (osgr) was 3.6kw, and when you can find one that is advertized as 3.6, they are a cranking sob.
The nippondenso osgr is very good also, and cranks just as good as the 3.6kw mitsu.
It has been awhile since I had and old direct drive (this is the gigantic, heavy, looks like a huge sbc starter), but cranking speed is very good with them also.

I guess what I am trying to say is that if you put a different style on and it cranks much faster, your old starter was dead or dying.

 

[Dave 001]

funny part is that MOST of the mitsu style (the long osgr starter) that are being sold are only 2.5kw or less, and they suck.
the factory original (osgr) was 3.6kw, and when you can find one that is advertized as 3.6, they are a cranking sob.
The nippondenso osgr is very good also, and cranks just as good as the 3.6kw mitsu.
It has been awhile since I had and old direct drive (this is the gigantic, heavy, looks like a huge sbc starter), but cranking speed is very good with them also.

I guess what I am trying to say is that if you put a different style on and it cranks much faster, your old starter was dead or dying.

FYI...OSGR stands for "off set gear reduction"......the Denso starter is an OSGR.

The Mitsubishi is not an OSGR. The Mitsubishi is a PLGR......Planatary Gear Reduction