Starter Replacement or Rebuild Options

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

C

chroad

10 Year
Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Threads
40
Messages
235
Location
Birmingham, AL
I think my starter is going bad, so I'm looking at replacing or rebuilding it. I'm looking for opinions and experience on these two options.

Isn't there an OEM 2.2 kw option floating around somewhere? That'd be nice to have. What other options, beside exact replacement, work for direct replacement?

What about rebuilds? Good parts/kits, etc.?

Any and all advice is welcome, including where to get my hands on some of the better options, like the 2.2 kw option (if I'm in fact remembering that correctly).
 
2.2 was available in the 93 yr. I sourced one from a junkyard then call CDan at American Toyota for a rebuilt kit ~ brushes, contact n plunger.

Be careful when sourcing since the part# is crossed with the 2.0 starter. I had to insist on ensuring it had the correct p/n on it.

Lookup my "RTH ~ starter stuck running" thread for pics.

Good luck
 
chroad said:
I think my starter is going bad, so I'm looking at replacing or rebuilding it. I'm looking for opinions and experience on these two options.

Isn't there an OEM 2.2 kw option floating around somewhere? That'd be nice to have. What other options, beside exact replacement, work for direct replacement?

What about rebuilds? Good parts/kits, etc.?

Any and all advice is welcome, including where to get my hands on some of the better options, like the 2.2 kw option (if I'm in fact remembering that correctly).
Click to expand...

Look for a local rebuilder, most likely they use the same parts as a box store uses. For example my friend had his alternator rebuilt locally for $60, it was $110 at one of the box stores Autozone, PepBoys etc. they even cleaned and painted it. Took 2 days so if your not in a rush try that option.
 
chroad; How many miles on your starter, is it the original Toyota-Denso, and which part number? If you want to more completely service your current starter it is fairly easy to pull it apart, inspect, clean, regrease the armature bearings and drive assembly and pop it all back together IMO. Don't throw away or trade in your original Denso starter for a cheaper any-parts-store unit. Cost to replace the solenoid contacts and plunger with Toyota parts is under $50. IME most local rebuilders use very cheap Chinese made bearings. Original NSK bearings (what Toyota/Denso uses) are better quality IMO and if cleaned and regreased will last about forever.
 
Last edited:
I would check out car-parts.com

Last time I checked, there was a ton of 2.2kw starters. If you can confirm that they are original Toyota-Denso starters, order a new rebuild kit from Dan, your good to go.
 
What's the difference between a 2.2KW starter & whatever the general ones the rest of us have (the 2.0KW from the impression I'm getting since I have a '97 model?)

My starter went (@~125K for those who care) so I just ordered a new one from Dan & got a rebuild kit at the same time to keep a fresh starter on the shelf, since there aren't any plans to sell the 80 or convert motors away from the 1FZ-FE.

Functionality, what makes a 2.2 more desireable than a 2.0? I am not versed in starters aside from they either work or they don't, reliably anyhow.
 
Here in the Great White North(tm) the extra cranking power from a high output starter helps a lot when it's -40 outside. So does an oversized battery. And a block heater. lol

If your ambient temps never drop below zero deg F, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Then again, if you're buying a new starter, you might as well get the biggest baddest one you can find. Since it will only be a few bux more than the normal one.
 
86tuning said:
Here in the Great White North(tm) the extra cranking power from a high output starter helps a lot when it's -40 outside. So does an oversized battery. And a block heater. lol

If your ambient temps never drop below zero deg F, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Then again, if you're buying a new starter, you might as well get the biggest baddest one you can find. Since it will only be a few bux more than the normal one.
Click to expand...

What do you do for block heater? Or is yours has a factory one?
 
wyodude said:
What do you do for block heater? Or is yours has a factory one?
Click to expand...

I cheat and park it inside :)

Actually it's not that cold in Vancouver. Coldest it gets is about -5C which is around 23F haha. But when we're out snow wheeling it can dip below -20C or about -10F.
 
Got to be careful and ask where it was manufactured; IME a lot of the remanufactured starters that say Denso only mean that they were once a new Denso part, many use Chinese parts and/or the whole starter was rebuilt in China.
 
I had ordered 280-0169 from Amazon a while back as as spare. It says remanufactured in the USA and 2.0kw.

I had cold weather starting issues (had to use the hammer trick) and finally got around to looking at my installed starter. I assumed it was the original. Turns out it's a rebuild. Has part number 17485 installed on it and says it was remanufactured in Mexico. There was another sticker with some writing that's worn and I couldn't read it. Did see "100%", but couldn't see the rest of it.

I'm thinking I'll install 280-0169 and buy a used OEM + rebuild components and keep it as a spare.
 
Have you removed it and looked inside?

I replaced my plunger and contacts very easily for about 60 bucks.
Works like a champ.

Pic is of the old plunger and contacts. Pretty worn.
parts.webp
 
I bought the Denso from Rock Auto. It was a Denso, in a Denso box. Of course it cost me like $13 to ship my core back, so it was like $130 after everything was said and done - but at least it was the real deal. Sounds like a Denso too.
 
johnny4ever said:
Have you removed it and looked inside?

I replaced my plunger and contacts very easily for about 60 bucks.
Works like a champ.

Pic is of the old plunger and contacts. Pretty worn.
Click to expand...

Not yet, just got the starter off yesterday. I looked at car-parts.com and looks like there's potential to pick-up a used 2.2kw for an incremental $50 or so. I'm thinking I'd rather go that way if its less than $100 more to procure and rebuild than rebuilding the one I just took off.

Where in Central Texas are you from?
 
Dgurley2000 said:
Not yet, just got the starter off yesterday. I looked at car-parts.com and looks like there's potential to pick-up a used 2.2kw for an incremental $50 or so. I'm thinking I'd rather go that way if its less than $100 more to procure and rebuild than rebuilding the one I just took off.

Where in Central Texas are you from?
Click to expand...

Salado, about 40 minutes north of Austin.

Is the one you pulled off a denso? Original?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom