[W126 Coupe] All you need to know about rebuilt starters (sort of)

[Richard Hogarth]

The main difference between a $40.00 dollar reman and $75.00 reman is the
warranty. 
The extra money pays for the extra warranty time, not a better starter: at
least not through the major vendors like autozone, o'reilly, pep boys etc
1) 
In an inexpensive reman, they will not cut the stator flat ( the part that
the brushes rub on) although they do replace the brushes. This means that
the brushes will wear very quickly. (like new brake pads on old gutted
rotors)
2) Next is the "bendix".  The replacement bendix is made in china with soft,
cheap chinese steel. When you start the car, the gear on the starter slams
into the ring gear. If the starter gear and the drive mechanism is cheaply
made, the gear will wear quickly, engage badly, and the "bendix"
which is really a "sprag clutch" will also wear quickly. A genuine bosch
replacment bendix is worth every penny. 
3) Because the starter motor only runs for a few seconds. Most of the
electric motor bearings in a starter are brass bushings, not sealed ball
bearings. When they do a cheap reman, they check for wear in those bushings.
Usually they don't replace them unless they are really badly worn. 
In a good reman job, the motor shaft would be machined ten thousands under
and an oversized bushing would be put in place.
I promise you that this is only done in a custom reman job. Usually, if
bushings are replaced and the shaft is worn, the bushing will wear very
quickly. 
SO: If you plan on selling the car, get out cheap. If you want the
possibility of a starter problem suprise on a rainy night at 2 in the
morning after leaving a show with your lady, go enjoy a cheapy. 
 
Higher compression engines with more cylinders will wear a starter faster.
They have to push against more compression strokes which equals more wear. 
Just to let you know what an idiot I am: I have 4 vehicles. One of them is
an 84 chevy 3/4 ton with a 454cuid that I only put abut 3,000 miles a year
on.  Seven years ago I bought a starter from o'reilly with a lifetime
warranty. I have to replace that starter every spring when I change the oil
and do a tune up on that truck. That starter barely lasts the year.
When the starter went out on my 2000 Ford Dual overhead cam Taurus at 80K, I
went to the dealer for a new one. 
It's worth the money.
BTW - A rebuilt starter from Bosch for your MB is a better rebuild that an
original rebuilt"Delco" is for a chevy, IMHO
When I worked at a Saab / BMW dealer in Vermont years ago, we stocked Bosch
rebuilt starters and alternators for 'off warranty' customers. 
The salt on the roads is hell on a starter and alternator and the rebuilts
were a better value at the time. 
-Richard Hogarth

 
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From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com]
On Behalf Of Markus Meyer
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2005 7:07 PM
To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com
Subject: RE: [W126 Coupe] Starter



Hein,

Is a starter a starter? I would say no. Is reman the same as new? No,
but.....a good reman unit can be better than a new one. Depends on where the
work was done. Don't know about our starters, but our alternators are
usually only remanned by a few places, and many do good work, many don't.
All a matter of who did the job. On my SEC alternator, my original
alternator went. Bought a reman one at a local parts place, mechanic put it
in for me. Just a little over a year later it crapped out. Took it back,
warranty had expired. Local rebuilder said it was a piece of *&^( so I
chucked it, went to Potomac and got a used one. Knock on wood, its still in
there almost 2 years later.

I just put a starter in my RV. Dealer wanted something outrageous for a new
one ($400+). Found one at autozone with a lifetime warranty for $129,
compared to $400 plus. The install was so easy I decided to buy the autozone
one. Even if it breaks in my lifetime and I have to replace it, that's still
cheaper than spending the extra money now and still not being guaranteed it
will last any longer.

Now, on our SECs, Rusty has them for $142.73. Autozone has them for $89.99.
The BenzBin has them for $137.16. All are reman.


Good luck!
Markus




--- On Tue 09/13, Hein < hein.o at nf.sympatico.ca > wrote:




From: Hein [mailto: hein.o at nf.sympatico.ca]
To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 20:23:26 -0230
Subject: [W126 Coupe] Starter


Hi,
Is a starter a starter??

$30-$150.....all the same?
Why would a $100 starter be better than a $30 one?

Just asking as my SEC starter just decided to blow up and I need another
one.

Remanufactured much weaker than new? Why?

Jim, you out there? I need some links on centrifugal chargers for the SEC
and setup ideas if you have some available.......I have some ideas for
winter projects....nudge nudge wink wink

Hein


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