Where to buy a starter motor

[Sin]

Hi guys,
I need to buy a starter motor as mine is taking a while before engine finally kicks over, I have a few questions here ( I did read a few old posts but have probably missed a few bits, my vehicle is an 86 caravelle auto sleeper 1.9 water cooled engine not sure if this is relevant but added just in case), where is the best place to order one from? From reading other posts I think I ne'ed to buy a bush, what else would I possibly need to buy? How long will it take for a mechanic to complete this job ( more or less? I'm not very good with mechanical thingys yet so would prefer to make sure it's done correctly first time) where is the starter located on a right wheel drive vehicle ? ( I've yet to purchase a manual...).
Thank you in advance
Sin

[meggles]

Yes, you need a bush. It needs to soak in oil overnight so best get one ordered now. why not ask a fellow 80-90 member to help you DIY. You'll learn something then. It's a fairly straight forward job. All connections need to be cleaned and a little bit of checking condition of leads etc wouldn't go amiss. It is all in the WIKI. Best place to buy one? Various places and opinions on that one

[kevtherev]

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php/s ... -2544.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Sin]

Thank you chaps for the information, hopefully I can make a better informed purchase.

[Ian and Lins]

Don't forget to check the earth strap and brush pack first. These are often a cause of sluggish starter motor problems and a cheap and easy fix.

[CovKid]

I haggled with GSF and got a new one (Bosch) for £100 incl VAT. The new bush was tied to it with a cable tie. I expected to see evidence that it had been remanufactured (which it must have been) but the case was mint - didn't look like it had ever been on anything whereas my exchange one looked like it had been through a sandstorm then the sea - for four years..

[Plasticman]

hmm i need one for my lowly mk3 1.9d golf
mm

[Sin]

Hi and thanks for keeping the information flowing, covkid who are gsf?
Ian and Lins, thank you, will now need to read up on earth straps and brush packs, I am hoping that it is that rather than a new starter.

[CovKid]

gsf - German, Swedish & French. Should be a branch near you. Brush packs are a bit more involved on theser starters as two of them have to be soldered on to the body so a normal soldering isn't any use as you won't get enough heat on them. Needs one of those mini blow torches to do those. Definately a job that could be done at home, but you need a good iron. I did an old starter I had that had packed up and it works fine now. You can find the starter above the gearbox on the right hand side of the vehicle (looking from behind). Normally to get them off, theres a 17mm nut in the engine bay (at the very back) that holds one bolt on place, and another 15mm or 13mm bolt & nut underneath on the starter. Do disconnect battery first though otherwise its live.

[Plasticman]

http://www.gsfcarparts.com/branches" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
mm

[Sin]

Thanks again chaps!

[syncroandy]

Just seen this, I used to live in SE London, there are many independent motor factors dotted about which can often be better to deal with the national operators. I used to use Sebron on New Cross Road.

[CovKid]

Would wholeheartedly agree with that. You can often get a great deal on having your existing one reconditioned (effectively the same thing as buying from GSF or whoever but cheaper and no surcharge) although those places seem to have diminished in more recent years.

You can also have a go yourself but the cost of bearings, brushes, time etc may make a complete DIY rebuild uneconomic when compared to an exchange one. Plus not everyone wants to get their hands dirty. Depends who you know in terms of what parts you can source. Brushes are very cheap certainly. If the coils or commutator are damaged its generally best to just go exchange but normally its worn brushes, or accumulated carbon dust inside that play havoc.

We have a brilliant independent bearing place in Coventry (very old-school) that never seem to be stumped if a replacement is needed - for virtually anything. I don't know of anyone who actually buys a NEW starter as such, although clearly they enter the parts chain and are available. Starters and alternators are possibly the most recyclable parts on cars.

You can still get a starter overhauled by someone else for around £70 or even less but you do really need to hunt around to get them done for those sort of prices.

[chrisbeck]

Got a second hand remanufactured Hella starter motor off a 1989 1900cc if you still need one.
PM me to do a deal
Chris

[Sin]

When it comes to technical stuff I'm pretty poor at building things, my son is more intuitive along those lines...however I'm always willing to try my hand at new things.

Chris I pmed you...will it fit my camper?


Once again thank you all.