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ALANSD · 04-25-2002, 10:19 AM

I am planning to carry a spare starter with me on my travels this summer. I know some of you already do so. What brand/type did you buy? I have seen starters all across the price ranges for 454 Chevy motors.
Anyone experience the NIPPON-DENSO starters?
What about a NAPA - GM , or such.
Lastly what about a gear-reduction or so called mini starter?

PeterH-350LE · 04-25-2002, 04:22 PM

Advance Auto parts 29.99 plus 15.- core charge.
I did ask to have the starter bench tested.
These are rebuilts and will get you going.
New ones from GM run $200.-
Make sure the box contains the small envelope with the shims and the shim measuring tool. The starter solenoid gear and the flywheel have to be properly aligned with the shims or else you will damage one or both.

gspilker · 04-25-2002, 05:29 PM

why not take your starter to a GOOD rebuilder and have him install a heavy duty heat resistant solenoid and reinstall using a good heat shield? this is what i did after installing banks headers.

thenewkid64 · 05-08-2002, 06:38 PM

Ok, we have the answer on starters now lets talk alternators.

Mine is working, but driving at night it is not putting out enough power, my Volts gauge runs below 12 V with all the lights on as well as the cooling fans. So has anyone tried a high output aftermarket Alt. I have heard there are replacements that can put out 200 amps no problem...

PeterH-350LE · 05-08-2002, 07:50 PM

Brett,
this may be a stupid question: whats the real voltage? My dash gauge says 12V, but all lit up I am really running @ 13.7 with the alt putting out 14.3

thenewkid64 · 05-09-2002, 05:15 AM

Good question, I will have to check it with a volt meter while running. I am almost to the point of re engineering my enitre dash and building my own gauge cluster so I know I can trust what they tell me.

ALANSD · 05-09-2002, 07:15 AM

Have you checked the basics. like belt tightness? Maybe simplistic, but it sure affects the alternator.
Also if the alternator is worn, or the voltage regulator is corroded somewhat it will cause this.
I also check battery connections for corrosion, and bad grounding. A little baking soda can clean up a lot of headaches there. You may be ahead of me already on these things, but sometimes its the simple stuff that screws up.

thenewkid64 · 05-09-2002, 08:46 AM

I have not checked the belt, but I bet it is the Alt. based on it's behavior on the way home from the last trip. Upon starting the MH after being parked for 2 days and driven for 2 hours with the above mentioned discharge the volt meter jumped up to 16-17 volts for the first 5-7 min. Then it settled down to normal. I am guessing on all of the actual values as my gauge has 2 numbers 18 volts and 8 volts, with a line in the middle for normal. So the battery was very disharged but I cannot belive it was recharged in 5-7 min????

Battery is brand new, with new cables too. The reasoning for new was that the old one was weak and would not always give me the crank I wanted. Hmmm, I think I am seeing a pattern???

bshaw · 05-09-2002, 09:07 AM

i am going to try a mean green starter from camping world.
www.mean-green.com
hope to stop starting worries, once i start in the morning i don't dare shut down until i find a place to park for the night and hope it starts in am.

ALANSD · 05-09-2002, 12:15 PM

How many teeth are in our 7.4l flywheel? Is it 168?
I have seen the gm mini hi torque starters available for these flywheels on ebay.

davidz71 · 05-09-2002, 02:10 PM

I talked with a local starter/alternator rebuilder about 140 and 200 amp aftermarket alternators such as Powermaster. He said that he had brand new ambulances come in, he pulled the new alternator off and replaced it with a larger case rebuilt to a 200 amp rating. He said he could do the same for me for $195 which was around $105-140 cheaper than a Powermaster. He told me, and I have read also, that 140 amps is the most you can get out of a small case GM alternator and the heat was a factor for some of their early demises. There is an Iceburg ballbearing case conversion that includes the 140 amp advertised in J. C. Whitney but I will probably go the route of the larger case and a 140-200 amp rating.

JW84345 · 05-09-2002, 09:34 PM

"I have not checked the belt, but I bet it is the Alt. "
I had a problem with my coach not charging, especially at night when I turned on the lights. Starting from a stop, the belt would squeel then stop, but the voltometer would drop to 11-12 v. The belt was as tight. Problem was the belt that was on there was too wide and was not sitting down in the v of the pully. I installed the right size belt purchased at the local napa and have not had the problem since.

Jim