Hey all. Hope I'm putting this in the right section. As some of you know from my other posts, I am no mechanic. Just a lover of cars. I recently purchased a 1971 442. She is in really good shape but needs a few things. One is those is a starter. The question is, do I rebuild the starter, buy a replacement one or go with a mini-starter?

 

My preference is to have a local shop rebuild the stater that is in the car. If you know it isn't original to the car then you could do an exchange rebuild.

Mini starter??? Is the motor stock?

Good luck!!!

 

If you have a good auto electric shop around, rebuild what you have. Locals tend to do a more thorough job IMO compared to a jobber rebuild where they're doing hundreds a day. Plus you're keeping a local business going and in this year of stupid, that's important.

After 50 years odds are you no longer have the original starter. But ya just might get lucky!

 

If the cars not original id go mini starter smaller lighter easier to replace and more torque, ive got the powermaster on my 455 w no issues.

if your trying to keep it original or original looking definetly have the starter Rebuilt. The 455 got a special higher torque starter, an off the shelf unit is likely not going to be anything but a a reman 350 starter.

but before any of that what makes you think the starter is bad?

 

Some early 350s got high torque starters as well. It's easy to identify one:

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...rter-id-99443/
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Maybe. If you DON'T have the longer housing, you don't have the high-torque motor. If you do have the longer housing, you MIGHT have the high-torque motor.

Just because you have a longer housing, doesn't mean you have the longer armature and longer field coils to go with it. There's lots of "phony" "High-torque" starters out there.

When I need a starter motor for a Chevy or Buick, I'll slap in a modern permanent magnet gear-reduction job from a later-model vehicle. Olds, Pontiac, and Cadillac are harder because there's no cheap, modern PMGR motors. In that case, I'll rebuild a GENUINE old-style high-torque motor, using new brushes, new bushings, new shift fork, new leather washer, a new heavy-duty roller clutch starter drive (has more rollers than the common ones) and either a new solenoid or disassemble and polish the contacts on the original solenoid.

Fifteen or twenty years ago, I went to NAPA and bought a fistful of brushes, shift forks, bushings, and leather washers.

 

Thank you. I didn't check the numbers to see if it is original to the car. I will once it's out. Either way I will hang on to it.
The motor is stock.

I'm thinking like you, that's is not original, but you never know. I would rather use a local business. I know a few people who would do it for me. I just wasn't sure if the mini starter was better. I don't know much about them.
I hear that. This is a crazy year man.
Thank you and stay safe.

The car is pretty original. It is a very nice driver. It's not a trailer queen, but nice non the less. It has a restoration about 12 years ago. That is what the owner told me. He had no paperwork to back it up. Said it was done before he owned the car.
We had it at my mechanics so. The car was having problems starting when it was hot. When it was cool it started ok. Once I get the car to him, we will know for sure.
Thank you for all of your help.

 

@Fun71 and @Schurkey thank you for the info.

 

If it doesn't crank when hot...it might not be a "starter" problem. Could easily be a failing wire harness between ignition switch and starter solenoid "S" terminal (Purple wire at solenoid, often fades to pink.) Without proper power to the "S" terminal, the solenoid doesn't have enough magnetism to activate. Heat adds to the resistance, making the issue worse.

If it cranks slowly, you could have excessively-advanced ignition timing, or a problem inside the starter.

 

Just curious as to where the leather washer is used.

 

Thank you. I'll forward this to my mechanic. I'm new at this stuff. I'm learning tho. Thank you for your time, patience and knowledge.

That is autocorrect at its best. Lol.

 

Brush-end of the armature, against the end-cap and front bushing. It's purpose is to provide some "drag" to quickly stop the spinning armature when the starter disengages.

 

Not autocorrect. This is interesting. I would think it would produce too much drag and heat.

 

Thanks for the info, I learned something new. It just seems strange that a leather washer is part of an electric motor assembly.

 

NAPA sells a brand new high torque starter for about $85.

Something to consider.

 

1. "Brand New" = Communist Chinese garbage, with a warranty.

2. Is it REALLY a "high-torque" starter, or is it a "High Torque" housing with short field coils, and short armature windings?

 

All the more reason to support your local auto electric shop. Though they sometimes have to use offshore-sourced parts 'cause that's all they can get.

 

My son installed one in his 72 Buick GS 455, and it works fine.

I personally would rather have an original rebuilt correctly, just giving an option.

 

Thank you everyone for all of this info. There Has been a lot learned here and some decisions to be made!!!