Starter Differences? Questions?

[Camarogenius]

Okay, I currently have the IH style direct drive starter. It's bad.
I bought a Mitsubishi starter off of ebay, and am waiting for it to arrive. Guy claims he shipped it friday, but it's not here yet. Either he Shipped it on the back of a turtle, or he's just waiting for the tectonic plates to shift enough for it to get here.
What if any differences will I be confronted with going from the old style starter to the new?
You all have spoken about being able to rebuild the starters at home, is this only the Mitsubishi's or can I rebuild my old one at home?

 

[icanfixall]

Rebuilding a starter is more than just replacing parts. The comutator will need to be turned on a lathe. The coils and the armeture will need to be checked for open windings. It can be done but they are not that expensive to buy rebuilt. Just find a GOOD rebuilder.

 

[Exekiel69]

The rebuild kits run low on price and I rebuilded about 6 starters for different makes will all working very well. The most expensive one was the on for the IDI $45 and change I think not sure it was a long time ago and didn't need to rebuild it ever since.

 

[The Warden]

What if any differences will I be confronted with going from the old style starter to the new?

The Mitsubishi starter is longer than the direct-drive starter. So, it won't simply go up in between the bellhousing adapter and the crossmember (if you include the nosecone that fits into the hole in the bellhousing adapter, the starter is longer than the slace in between the adapter and the crossmember). It's not that difficult to get in between the two, but it'll take a bit of wiggling around, trial-and-error, etc. IIRC it's best to go up and in at an angle.

Take a look here as well I wish the pictures had come out better, though...

 

[Agnem]

Now that you mention it, I did have to struggle to get the Mitso in the Moosestang. I chalked it up to the fact that I was putting it in a Bronco.

 

[Camarogenius]

Well, here's the one I bought, To me it actually looked smaller than the one that's in there now.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290031787814&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=019

 

[Camarogenius]

Oh!!
I know how to defeat the evil and sadistic top starter bolt.
A few months ago, a dealership mechanic gave me a length of aphalt/tar strip that you pull off a small chunk and wrap it around a problem bolt, or stuff it in the end of a socket to keep a bolt from falling out in blind/inverted position.
I'll wrap a little around the bolt, and stuff a little in the end of the 13mm socket, and then leave the bolt in the hole, and socket/extension/ratchet on the bolt while I put the starter in position. This will line up the bolt, and all I have to do is twist the extension to start the top bolt.
Did I mention that I have a 6" extension with a screwdriver handle on the ratchet end, then has the place for the ratchet on top, so it's basically a ratchet drive/nut driver that uses sockets.
One of my favorite and handiest tools.

 

[Exekiel69]

You can also screw the two bolts at the bottom first then screw this last one. Maybe it was better to get a different starter and next time You can try Yourself if it is worth rebuilding one. Btw the price for a rebuild kit for that same starter is not much more than what You paid for the used unknown history starter .

 

[TLBREWER]

Now that you mention it, I did have to struggle to get the Mitso in the Moosestang. I chalked it up to the fact that I was putting it in a Bronco.

A Japanese part on the Moosestang?

Tom

 

[Camarogenius]

I know, I could have, but I need the extra anyway, since my spare engine doesn't have one, and I can practice rebuilding without the truck sitting.

 

[Camarogenius]

One big difference is the sound! The mitsu sounds like a powerstroke starting, but it does spin the engine alot faster.
I had absolutely no trouble at all getting the longer starter in.

 

[Joe Mc]

Oh!!
I know how to defeat the evil and sadistic top starter bolt.
A few months ago, a dealership mechanic gave me a length of aphalt/tar strip that you pull off a small chunk and wrap it around a problem bolt, or stuff it in the end of a socket to keep a bolt from falling out in blind/inverted position.

When you run out of that stuff, you can place a paper towel over the bolt and stuff the socket on, holds great and is easy to find.