Starter question

Fordfan90

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Alright guy my starter on my pickup just went out and I'm going to be putting a new one on. What is the best starter to go with?
 

79jasper

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Many opinions there.
Personally I like the convenience of a parts store one. At least I can warranty it out in a timely manner.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 

BrianX128

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Personal preference, nippendenso and not Mitsubishi version. Had awful experiences with mitsu style. [Real long gear reduction one]. I like the slightly shorter denso style ones. You can find pictures. Both will have lifetime warranties but are about 140? 150 ish
 

Macrobb

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I've had both styles work just fine, and both fail.

They both have about the same amount of torque when they are working.
 

Fordfan90

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Well I'm going to get one once I get the starter out of it. Any tips for the top starter bolt?
 

jwalterus

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Well I'm going to get one once I get the starter out of it. Any tips for the top starter bolt?

Yeah, it's 9/16 IIRC......
Once you have the extensions set to the right length (I used a bunch of 1" extensions on a 3/8 ratchet), measure the length, cut a piece of rebar to the right length, weld it to a cheap 9/16 socket on one end, and weld a cheap socket to the other end to make a custom length socket for the bolt, then keep it in the truck so it doesn't get lost.
 

DavidS

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The Napa by me has both the Mitsu and the Nippon and they are the same price, so take your pick.

For that top bolt just don't leave it for the last one, then you're fiddling with a bolt you can't see while also keeping the starter from falling on your face. I used a long extension that put the ratchet just at the back of the starter itself and it wasn't too bad.
 

BrianX128

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Patience is the key for the last bolt. I duct tape the socket to an extension and try to get it on the bolt to free spin it in before I get the ratchet on there.
 

Macrobb

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My tip for that 3rd starter bolt? Don't reinstall it.
I've run for quite a while with just the two lower bolts; works fine - the nose cone of the starter is a slip-fit into the bell housing spacer, and as long as the starter is kept from falling out, that slip fit will take the twisting force.

Anyway... that's what I've done on all those short starters because it's such a pain.

On the longer style(Mitsubishi?) I can usually get the 3rd bolt without too much hassle, but I've left it off for expedience before as well.

I've also run a two-bolt starter that used the top and bottom-most bolt with plenty of clearance on both. That was nice.
(it was off of something else, marked 'cummins'. Not a 5.9 though)
 

Fordfan90

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My tip for that 3rd starter bolt? Don't reinstall it.
I've run for quite a while with just the two lower bolts; works fine - the nose cone of the starter is a slip-fit into the bell housing spacer, and as long as the starter is kept from falling out, that slip fit will take the twisting force.

Anyway... that's what I've done on all those short starters because it's such a pain.

On the longer style(Mitsubishi?) I can usually get the 3rd bolt without too much hassle, but I've left it off for expedience before as well.

I've also run a two-bolt starter that used the top and bottom-most bolt with plenty of clearance on both. That was nice.
(it was off of something else, marked 'cummins'. Not a 5.9 though)

Well I got my older starter out and went to put the new one in and the starter solenoid spun when I was trying to tighten down the power wire.
 

Macrobb

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Your power wire probably has one of those tabs on it to keep it from spinning, right? Check that that's not touching the solenoid trigger post as you tighten it down.

Also, you should probably be doing this with the battery negatives disconnected...
 

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