How long for a starter?

[fdcg27]

What has been the collective experience with starters?
I replaced the starter in the Aerostar yesterday. It is now thirteen years old and has been driven 166K.
The starter worked just fine until it didn't.
Got a reman for ~$100.00, which I took since it was in stock, and I wanted to get the thing done. Probably could have found something cheaper had I ordered it, and there is always the junkyard.
Anyway, the task was really easy on the Aerostar, and there is enough ground clearance that you don't even need to lift it at all, just like changing the oil.
I had viewed the starter installation many times, since it lives right underneath the oil filter.
Anyway, what kinds of lives are people seeing from starters?

 

[Colt45ws]

I think the only starter Ive replaced was on a Aerostar as well. 1994 model with 150k or something like that. It was locked up. Hammer trick would start it. I put on a Motorcraft Reman.

Oh, I also put a stater on a International DT466 in a dump truck with less than 75k. It was dragging on the flywheel after starting. That was a BIG starter.

 

[labman]

Maybe 100K in the past. I hate to even think about this. I have noticed they last better since I started using 5W in place of 10W oil.

 

[Bluestream]

Depends on where you live, and the vehicle. the -40 temps can be hard on starters, and I used burn through the old Chrysler starters back in the day. My 91 explorer starter lasted about 150K, I took it in to an Auto-Electric place and they re-built it for $40 (cash)

 

[demarpaint]

I replaced the starter twice in my 93 Aerostar, as others mentioned one of the easier jobs to do to the Aerostar. Original starter lasted 85,250 miles, the next starter was installed at 138,800 miles and is still working fine at 183,000+ miles. The rebuilds are only as good as the guy who rebuilt them.

My Aerostar sees lots of stop and go use, and that plays into it as well. My 88 E-150 still has the original starter but it only has about 72,000 miles on it.

 

[Nayov]

Great question. 183,000 in my Sentra.

 

[Russell]

15 years and 183,000 on my 95 BMW 525i
12 years and 140,000 on my 98 Ford Explorer eddie bauer

Both seem to be working fine- Also same with aternators

 

[Scienceman]

It must be a common thing for Ford starters to go. My 93 150 blew one.


..As for that DT466, I bet that was fun!

 

[fsskier]

The Lumina APV starter lasted about 200K miles, lots of short trips in towing duty.

Our last commuter Escort is at 300K miles on the original starter.... this car runs 35 miles every for every start.

Miles is probably a poor predictor of starter life, easy starting vehicles, lighter oil and long commutes may reduce wear to near zero.

Very short, stop start, cold starting with thick oils, worst case conditions I suspect 100K miles would be a lot!

 

[bepperb]

I think they've all lasted forever except a 91 corolla which went through 2 in 213,000 miles.

Maybe more of a design than life issue?

 

[cjcride]

Had a 91 Corolla, coolant tube started to corrode/leak at about 80K Mi's. Just so happened to be directly over the starter. Dealer did the coolant tube repair and said "cus the starter was drenched with coolant, it would probably fail soon". Sure enough about 3 months later it did. Replaced it myself with a remanufactured.

Fsskier, you are right, the amount of start cycles and environment are the big factors, not Mileage.

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: cjcride
Had a 91 Corolla, coolant tube started to corrode/leak at about 80K Mi's. Just so happened to be directly over the starter. Dealer did the coolant tube repair and said "cus the starter was drenched with coolant, it would probably fail soon". Sure enough about 3 months later it did. Replaced it myself with a remanufactured.

Fsskier, you are right, the amount of start cycles and environment are the big factors, not Mileage.

true but mileage and age are about the only thing our cars might have in common.

 

[eljefino]

89 mazda 323 blew at about 130k on a -7'F night, not THAT cold. Had bulk 10w30 in there, got me interested in oil. Was off at college, gas station mechanic changed it promtly and competently, but nicked a $20 "electrical diagnosis" charge.

87 mazda b2000 blew at 145k, the braided foil lead from solenoid to motor corroded and nearly caught fire from the oil it soaked up. Stupid design. Fun to watch, the metal was popping and fizzing and turned bright yellow from the heat.

93 corsica 3.1, 190k, was getting flaky, probably the solenoid.

95 f150 300-6, was turning over slow, finally gave up on my brother in law when he borrowed the truck for a many-week bender after wrecking his own car. He put a new one in and complained about the cost, I didn't take the hint, and didn't reimburse him.

I was worried about my saturn chirping when I let off the key after it started, like I was clashing with the flywheel, but it turned out a belt tensioner was on its way south.

 

[Cutehumor]

changed out a mitsubishi mirage starter around 12 yrs old. changed sunfire starter around 13 yrs old. Miles is not an indicator. my wife used to drive this sunfire, she would start up the car 8-10 times a day. (go to bank, then mcdonalds, then grocery store, then post office, then mall, then haircut salon, then back home, etc) me? just straight to work and home.

 

[Scienceman]

Sure cutehumor. I bet it was JUST work and back. sure.

 

[ledslinger]

To make a starter live be sure the battery is powerful. Low voltage is tough on starters. Maintaining the engine tune helps starting immediately reducing starter wear.

 

[nthach]

We've got 2 cars with 200K+ still spinning to life with their OEM Denso and Mitsubishi starters.

 

[Ike_Clanton]

My '95 Camry starter's solenoid started to fail at about 225k. It got worse and worse, so I replaced it with a used one off a Lexus for $40 and lasted till the car got totaled.

 

[Gary Allan]

150k+ for the wife's 99 jeep. The starter on my 92 Caravan went 180+/18+ years.


I bought a used one off of Ebay when the wife's starter drive went out. I would have replaced JUST the drive, but the used one on Ebay was cheaper.

 

[mechtech2]

Old V8s with heavy oil took their toll on starters at a faster rate than today's systems.