New Starter Choices...Please comment.

5650 Views 45 Replies 9 Participants Last post by F450Diesel, Jul 13, 2007

Garbage_Mechanic

Discussion Starter · Jun 15, 2007

I need a new starter for my 96 7.3. I'm posting here because of the bigger # of people up here. I had planned to get one from DB before it failed. Well I may have missed that chance and I'm not giving up my weekend. I wante dto go DB because they are new and an upgrade. I have now found a local rebuilder / warehouse that matched DB with the same units. DB has 3 on their site, my source has 2 of them in stock at prices that match DB including freight.
My first choice is the 4kw Nippondenso (I have heard it described as one big bad starter) at $169.95
They also have the 3.6kw Mitsubishi PLGR at $119 This is a 3 bolt maybe the same as my stock one?
My local source doesn't have the OSGR 3.6 KW 2bolt 2001-2003 unit.
My local guy (who I use for lots of fleet big rig stuff) says the 4kw unit is just more robust and will survive abuse such as extended cranking better than the other.

Any one have any bad experience with the big 4kw Nippondenso?

Cost isn't really the issue, the old one has 200,000 miles on it, so the new one should last 10 more years

Mine: 91 F250 Reg Cab 4x4 5spd 7.3IDI 4.10LS 145,000 miles. Banks Sidewinder 92 D60 F axle w 97 brakes and Powerlock. Lift: about 4" over stock 250. 33x12.50x16.5 Pro Comp MTs Magnaflow 12" muffler. Sees dirt everyday. Used to haul hay, wood, feed cows, check fence.
Hers: 96F250 CCSB 7.3 PSD 4x4 5spd 3.55 LS 190,000 miles. Puchased 7/03, Looked for a 5spd CCSB for a year!Dana 60 front axle, at stock F350 height (for now) Energy Poly bushings, Bilsteins, 305/70/16 Pro Comps on 16x10 Weld Outbacks, AFE Pro7,TYMAR 3x3.5x4 downpipe,TYMAR 5" straightpipe, gutted EBV, IH Non EBV pedistal,New Alliant AC Injectors,(stage 1)Cal reg kit, SBC Con O clutch, permenent clutch bushing fix, AC mod with a different twist, AMP Powersteps with custom brackets and wiring(one of 2 OBS trucks with them according to AMP) Line of Fire. Sees dirt everyday.
My Company pickup: 86 F250 6.9 C6 320,000 miles Co trucks 5 89 to 94 IDI's, plus about 50 more diesels.
Diesel Mechanic 34 yrs Maintenece Manager 23 yrs

1 - 14 of 46 Posts

MarvinVR

· #6 · Jun 19, 2007

My Nippon from DB arrives today. Watch your holes becasue my 2001 is a TWO hole.

Ill come back in here after its installed and tell you if the hell gets scared out of me---lol.

MarvinVR

· #7 · Jun 19, 2007

Dang. It makes the OEM look like a thimble. This is one HD looking starter. Hard to believe it was under $190 when a Ford weak unit is almost $400 at the dealer.

Going to hook it up in an hour or so and see what happens.

MarvinVR

· #14 · Jun 20, 2007

OK. I got the dam*** thing on. Its a LOT heaveir and larger than stock, so trying to do it laying on my rough gravel driveway wasnt a perfect evening.

TIP: Dont connect the wires BEFORE you try to get it in.
TIP: Do flatten your hot lead end and/or cut off the tab that kept it from spinning on the bolt.

You have to push the butt end way up first and bring the gear down into the hole then twist a bit. The case clears my crossmember by about 1/8 inch.

From some posts I was prepared to hear a jet engine/mopar type howl and an rpm that would throw the pistons out through the heads, but instead it doesnt sound much different than the OEM EXCEPT that after a few turns it sounds almost like a knocking or like the unit is loose, but not a grinding of teeth sound. I double checked the torque and its tight. Not having heard one of these before, I dont know if its normal or bad, which is a bad thing NOT to know. I dont think the RPM is that different, or again maybe I was expecting a huge difference. But we all know that nothing works right for me including just wiping window glass.

Im going to try and rig a long microphone cable to take a sound bite and post it. Just hope this thing isnt bad and screws up the flywheel because I dont know what to listen for.

I am a little pissed cuz the website says Nippondenso, not 'nippondenso look alike'. I didnt know anything about this until a poster above said something.

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MarvinVR

· #15 · Jun 20, 2007

Just noticed something else---the ad says 4kW but on the test report that came with it says 3.0

Specs are:

Current @ max power 641 amps
Torque @ max Power 17.35 Nm
SPeed @ max power 1358 rpm
Max Torque 26.8 Nm
Max current 831 Amps

Unit tests speeds:

RPM Amps Voltage
2498 398 9.0
2000 488 8.3
1500 603 7.44
1000 748 6.38
750 831 5.76

FREE RUN TEST 5568 RPM @187 AMPS, lol

Does any of this make sense to you?

I just emailed them to ask about the 4kW 3kW difference, the fact that they say 'STARTER-NIPPONDENSO' on their ad but then the sheet says 'Denso-style' and about the sound. On their actual website this starter has 'not for powerstroke' but it says for powerstroke in the ebay ad. Hmmm.

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MarvinVR

· #16 · Jun 20, 2007

They answered my email with 'Weve never had a problem, sorry if you are' but didnt address any of my questions.

MarvinVR

· #19 · Jun 21, 2007

Thats the same thing the other place just sold me. Im pretty unhappy at this time. IMHO their ad is misleading. It says 'STARTER-NIPPONDENSO and 4kW power. Mine came saying 'Nippon style' and 3kW pwer. I asked them many questions about their advertising, etc. and was finally just told they would refund some of my money but they wouldnt answer my questions except to say they dont do misleading advertising. He did say he was sorry that I got a 3kW instead of a 4kW but didnt know how it happened.

I wanted to tell him that it was because it is the way my life goes and it wouldnt have happened to any other human on the planet but decided not to.

MarvinVR

· #21 · Jun 22, 2007

That looks like exactly the same thing the other place has. These are not real Nippons but at least the seller you linked to doesnt make that claim like DB Electric (I think thats their name) who also advertises it as a 4kW unit but it came to me as 3kW. He said they dont make 3kW and he has never seen on so he couldnt figure out why I got one. I wouldnt have known if I hadnt read the crumpled spec sheet in the bottom of the box. They are going to ship me another but didnt say anything about paying for sending back what I have. I just emailed the place above to ask about its power rating.

MarvinVR

· #24 · Jun 22, 2007

Well, mines a strange sounding thing. Almost like its wobbling on it bolts but again to tooth grinding noise. Im sending it back since the company still wont address my questions about their advertising, its kW power difference, etc. Maybe sometimes when things look too good to be true---

Also noticed a vibration. Mine cleared the crossmember by about 1/8 or so with engine off but while engine is on and moving a tad, the back of the starter case is hitting and causing noise. I had to get under there with the engine on to see it. DAG NAB it anyway.

MarvinVR

· #26 · Jun 23, 2007

[ QUOTE ]
Was this starter from DB Electrical?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep

MarvinVR

· #29 · Jun 26, 2007

Well, there we go then. No wonder they are so cheap. They sure are heavy suckers.

Iwas told today that they were sending me a new unit with a prepaid return for this one. Guy said he had never seen a 3kW from that company and all were supposed to b3 4kW. Couldnt understand it. I can. I offended God in a past life.

MarvinVR

· #35 · Jun 29, 2007

Yeah I looked at the jegs. Its not 4kW like the DB but I do like the stability of the three bolts. DB claims they have never had a single problem because of that. There is that pesky darned CLEARANCE problem though. Mine vibrates agsint the cross member and I have to go to a welding shop to cut some clearance.

MarvinVR

· #39 · Jul 1, 2007

Thats the thing---my spec sheet also says 3kW but DB insistes that they are all 4kW. I think something funny is going on. Again, its guge compared to stock but it doesnt turn mine over much faster than stock. This is puzzling. And, just after starting to turn over there is a strange sound almost like a knocking but not the sound of teeth stripping. Maybe mines bad. They are sending me a new one this week and Ill bet its spec sheet also says 3kW

MarvinVR

· #42 · Jul 7, 2007

I just received my replacement from DB. Again, it says all over their ebay and website that its a 4kW motor but the individual spec sheet shows it tested at 3kW. The guy said he doesnt false advertise and that all of them are 4 but now Ive spoken to several other buyers who have 3 kW spec sheets. Interesting.

MarvinVR

· #44 · Jul 7, 2007

Sorry---meant RATED.

1 - 14 of 46 Posts

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