Starter Life?

I've got a 95 automatic with 102K. It has the original starter that seems to work just fine. I use my Jeep for remote camping. In other words if my starter leaves me I could be missing for a while.

So, since I didn't have enough things to worry about today, I thought I'd start stressing about being stranded by a starter failure. Any ideas how long they should last? I don't mind spending a few bucks to see another birthday; I read a thread about AZ rebuilds lasting 8 to 16K - not interested.

Any ideas, or testimonies on how long yours lasted would be appreciated. FD.

I replaced the original in my 88 at about 200K miles - how's that?

Digging back, I think it's fairly rare that a "modern" starter (made in the last 20 years or so...) lasts more than 250Kmiles, but there are flukes. Since you like to go remote, I'd plan on replacing the starter and alternator at 175-200K, just as preventative maintenance. Go with a small shop for the rebuild, and tell them just why you're doing what you're doing. If you can't find a small shop locally, the shop I use is doing mail-order, and his parts tend to be the "install and forget" kind. I found him when I was working on forklifts for a living, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a more abused piece of equipment than a forklift...

Link is in my sig.

5-90

The starter on my 96 died at 155k. I was caring a hammer under my seat for awhile so I could give the starter a tap to get me going again.

BA

I've replaced the alternator on my '89 XJ at 110K. Starter needed a hammer once at 120K, finally replaced at 140K.

If getting home is your concern, I would get quality remanufactured units as spares to add to your emergency kit.

Replace the starter with a new quailty starter and carry the used one as a backup.

Project XJ said:

Replace the starter with a new quailty starter and carry the used one as a backup.

Click to expand...

Very good idea since rebuilds seem to be so unreliable.

JoBo

Depends on where you get rebuilds. I'd agree that most "chain" rebuilds, and Cham/Lester rebuilds (most of what your stockists carry,) suck huge, and you'd be better to buy them as scrap rather than parts.

Go to the smaller outfits, or any store with a reputation to uphold, and you'll find that different. Also, A1C may be new to the "electrics" biz, but they've been in "electronics" for a while - I used to install a LOT of their SBEC remans into ChryCo 2.2 Turbos when they'd blow out out here. I've dealt with a lot of their ABS controllers and ECU/TCU units as well - no complaints.

If you can get A1C locally, go for it. If you can find a local shop that does rewinds, go for it (you'd be dealing, likely, with the guy that does the actual work on your unit anyhow - and you can bet HE's got a rep to protect!) Failing that, keep looking. As I find more reliable parts suppliers willing to do mail order, I'll add them to my site/links page... I'll just about guarantee you my standards are higher than pretty much anyone else's...

5-90

Funny this post should come up today.... I replace the starter on my '98 back in May 04 with only about 65,000 miles. Today, the starter sounded funny this morning, and this afternoon while at work, it wouldn't turn over.

It's days like these that I LOVE having a 5 spd. A couple of strong co-workers and a quick push to bump start the beast, and I was on the road to my house for the replacement during lunch.

At least it was a NAPA starter that was warranteed for 3 years. Took me longer to drive to NAPA auto across town, than it took to swap it out. Two bolts holding the starter, two nuts holding the electrical plug in place...

So... in a long way to answer your question, the OEM starter lasted about 5 years, and the NAPA rebuild lasted not even a year.....

Get a mean green starter

x2 on having a "independant" rebuild. I had a local shop do the alternator in my YJ about 9 yrs ago, no problems at all.
My 2K XJ has seen 3 starters since new. One at ~20K, ~45k, ~70k. There were all replaced at the dealer under warranty/service contract.
I will definately have a shop rebuild my starter when it poops out again.

My 95 starter hasn't failed yet at 256K. My stepson's 93 got up around 200K. The last I saw of the old 87 at 235K it was still starting. Starters don't usually fail all at once. You're likely to get intermittent no-starts (the 93 needed an occasional whack on the starter to wake it up).

If you're really concerned, and have time, I'd suggest a local rebuild, rather than one of those parts-store jobs.

Another alternative, if you're adventurous, is to open it up yourself and inspect it. It's easy to open up. You can check the brushes, lube the end bearing, and probably even disassemble the solenoid and clean and file the contacts. I haven't done this on an XJ solenoid, but on a Delco you can take the solenoid contacts out and turn them 180 degrees and it's good as new. On a Bosch you can file them. The XJ is a gear reduction starter, so you should probably lube the gears a little too. The Bendix will not usually fail all at once, but might intermittently fail to catch, giving you plenty of warning, so I'd leave that alone.

The longevity of the original Mitsubishi Jeep starters are quite amazing. Mine died a couple of months ago after 17 years and 193,000 miles.

As mentioned your starter more than likely will not fail all at once...but will give you signs...such as longer starts and/or slower turn-overs. That's how mine went...slower turning over for about six months. Then it did not turn over...whacked it with a hammer and it started.

My MJ has 220 k on the odo and the original starter still cranks well.