Took a quick pic on my phone of my starter job in process on my Deville. Original AC Delco starter lasted 10 years. Flat spot on aperature.
Can you see the rodent droppings, seems at one point they called the engine home, chewed on the wires too. I have had this car for almost 4 years and used it non stop but I purchased it as a one owner car from a 74 year old. Car went 124,000 km in it's first three years then 24 in it's next 4, so it was sitting somewhere.
Photoshop version
-- Edited by 73SC on Tuesday 13th of April 2010 06:45:49 PM
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
Those North* starters are a PITA to change. They are supposes to last a lot longer because they are shielded from dirt and road salt, but they must soak up a lot of heat which I think would age them rapidly.
Those North* starters are a PITA to change. They are supposes to last a lot longer because they are shielded from dirt and road salt, but they must soak up a lot of heat which I think would age them rapidly.
It's a 1998 with 208,000 km. Original has lasted pretty well in my opinion.
I know the reputation in changing the starter is PITA, but I was able to help a bit and monitor progress. It looks daunting but really the intake comes off clean, straight up once things are loose, you remove the unit as whole as possible, throttle body etc..still attached, it really is only 6 bolts. Time consuming part is all that EGR, generator coolant lines etc...
Fortunate that it lasted this long with the rodent damage on the wires, plus we got to shop vac the entire valley, sort of spring clean up. I should grab a shot of the old starter, looks mint, no road grime or crud, just gave it up after so long. We bought a brand new unit, no sense messing around with a rebuild given it's placement. It is one serious starter, looks like it could start a racing engine.
Just brought the car up, man it sure springs to life now. Now this thing really flys, so I can't imagine why it would be stronger, well until I asked Joe. He just smiles and laughs, "Ray, Ray, I take good care of you man". Seems he figured while everything was apart he'd give it a good clean, intake, injectors, throttle body, new oil just to be sure, of course new gaskets. I can't even tell you how much it cost, just get out of here was all he said.
This is as much as I got out of him, "about 4 hours labour and the new starter was $250."
Ok, but there is gaskets and oil change, cleaning fluids etc. I think I better shoot him at least $700 bucks. A Northstar takes 8 litres of oil so thats $40 in oil alone. Gaskets must be another $40 or so.
With that gesture Ray, it's no wonder you have the comraderie with the guy as you do. And since you are a man of great gesture, he then too treats you accordingly. I have a friend of 33 years that has his own garage and he just got me a cap, rotor and plug wires; all A/C Delco, for $90.00 his cost whereas it would have been $258.00 for me had I gone and bought it at the same place. A lot of markup for sure on some of this stuff. I've of course returned many a favour with and for him over our years of friendship and neither have ever tried to one-up the other! Isn't that the way it should always be guys?
