NAPA rebuilt starter

[hoveringuy]

It's just a stupid, freakin' starter.. but when it started making funny noises I gave it a lot more attention. It's been starting to grind, skip and just sound horrible.

It's been getting colder so the starter's been working harder and and I just don't want it stranding me.

So...

I went to NAPA and purchased one of their rebuilt M20 starters. I always expect the worst from something like this and waited until the night before I had a day off to swap it out. I just expect it to be wrong somehow. I know something is going to be wrong.

I am pleasantly surprised that the NAPA rebuilt starter is actually a quality part and it works GREAT! Starting is much smoother and quieter. No more drama.

Total swap took 2 hours from the top. Unscrewed the manifold and moved it just enough to gain access to the starter, didn't even need to disconnect most of the stuff from the manifold.

A 10mm wrench fit the star shaped bolt head on the transmission side perfectly and I had easy access to them.

[asubimmer]

I wonder how they compare to say a bosch? Glad to hear its workin good

[hoveringuy]

I take it back.

There is always something...

had to be.

The start unloader doesn't work!!

No blower, power windows, Homelink, or sunroof.

I refuse to change the starter out so both the K5 and K7 unloader relays now have permanent grounds.

Lesson is, check for continuity between the starter unloader lug and the case before you install a starter.

edit: this appears to be a recurring issue with rebuilt starters!

[justin_l_]

I've had good luck with bosch reman from Autozone.

[M3 euro ltw]

Surprises

My 540 needed a PS pump.

Costs from dealer were astronomical. Costs from a salvage yard were not that impressive either, even for rebuilt ones.

I was SHOCKED that the local autozone had one for like $165 or something, yeah, it was rebuilt, but had a great warranty on it.

Perfect. Not a single problem at all. Finding the right belt was harder actually, and I didn't find a perfect match THAT day, at the LATE hour I waited to... but until I typed this, I forgot that I never did put on a perfect belt...its been fine.

[thereisnoyun]

I had the best luck of taking multiple spare starter and swapping parts and building my own. the one on my car has bee nrunning fo ra year now. I got put it together from 2 seperate starters.

[hoveringuy]

Now that I have the relays grounded I've had no trouble with it.

In fact, I really, really like the way it sounds when it cranks. It sounds like it's a completely different motor cranking than the old one.

Smoooth!

I had just gotten to used to how crappy the old one sounded.

[e30love]

funny thing is I just had the same problem. How did you ground the relays? M50 swap btw Thanks Matt