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Re: [Shop-talk] Starter problems

To: shop-talk@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Starter problems
From: "John T. Blair" <jblair1948@cox.net>
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 16:15:23 -0500
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Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: shop-talk@autox.team.net
At 02:08 PM 1/9/2015, you wrote:

 >Yesterday, I towed and replaced my buddies starter on his 2007 Dodge Ram
 >1500.  It has about 130K miles.  What struck me as odd was that he 
said this is
 >his second starter on that truck.

 >Now, I garage keep all my vehicles and he never does, I would guess 
that could
 >play into it.

Eric,

I seriously doubt that him not garaging his truck made the 
difference.  I have seen
this same sort of thing many time, especially with my wife and my 
cars.  We both
had 84 Hondas, hers a civic wagon, mine an accord.  Her starter 
failed at about
65K miles along with both half shafts.  Her alternator went about 
80K, etc.  My Accord got over 120K to the 1st set of 1/2 shafts, 
alternator, and starter.

The difference was the way we drove our cars.  Her's was the grocery getter,
she very seldom drove over 3 mile on any trip, the was pulling into 
tight parking lot
spaces so wheel to wheel locking the steering column. I got in my car, started
it, drover 25 mi. to work, pulled into an empty parking lot.  After work, I
started the car, pulled streight out of the parking space, hit the 
interstate, 25
mi. later I was parked in front of my house.

So the wife's car saw 15 times the number more starts per day than mine did.
Her's also saw a lot more sharp turning, etc.

Next issue is why did the 2nd starter fail?  Where did he get the replacement
starter from?  Back to my accord, the first alternater lasted 160Kmi.  I got a
replacement starter from autozone.  The dealer wanted $600, I found a discount
Honda dealer on line that would see one for $360, and got mine from 
Autozone for
$250.  So of course I went with AutoZone.  That alternator lasted 
just over 2 yrs and 20K mi.  I replaced it with another one from 
AZ.  Again 2 yrs or about 20K.
The real problem with this was it was a 4 hour job to replace the 
alternator as you had to pull the 1/2 shaft to get the alternator 
out.  (Wish Honda have of dimpled
the fire wall so you didn't.)

This made me think about the cost effictiveness of using Aftermark parts.  Had
a similar problem with a Chrysler Van and the Mit. 3L engine.  Water 
pumps $35 from autozone but I went through 3 of then in less than 75K 
miles.  I bought a
pump from the dealer for $150, but it lasted well over the 75K replacement spec
for the timing belts.  With replacing the belts (required to do to 
get to the pump)
taking 8 hr. again, the dealer part was a lot less expensive.

To sum this up you're probably looking at 2 things: driving style, 
and parts supplier.

John


John T. Blair  WA4OHZ     email:  jblair1948@cox.net
Va. Beach, Va                  Phone:  (757) 495-8229

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