Lucked out on starter motor

[spackard]

Last year I was having work done on my '92 Acura Vigor and wanted the starter motor changed since they'd have the IM off; shop put on a reman. When I picked it up the motor sounded fast, and every time I've had a reman that sounded fast it hasn't lasted long. I went back a couple of days later and bought the core from them for $50 and planned to rebuild it (it was the original), but I couldn't find a rebuild kit for it.

Before I took it apart and tried to source brushes by size, bearings, etc. I shopped EBay and found someone selling a NOS one for $100. Since a new one from the dealer would have been $1350 I was very suspicious but I figured maybe I'd get brushes and bearings from one so I pulled the trigger. Turns out I did get a NOS starter. Kept it and the old core on the shelf.

Last week, couple of months before the 12 month warranty on the earlier repair expired, the reman starter exhibited flat spots where it wouldn't start the car. I took the car in and gave them the NOS starter. They asked for the core I held onto also. I got the NOS starter put in N/C, and got the old core back. Just really lucked out buying that NOS for $100. Almost all other parts are unobtanium now. Sounds like a new car now, when starting.

 

[ctechbob]

RE: Finding your parts

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Bought a few things from these guys before. Seem to have pretty much anything you'd need for starters/alternators. Good for looking up part numbers too.

 

[GMBoy]

I remember when they came out, nice cars. They were 5cyl correct?

 

[CharBaby]

I am glad that worked out for you.

I too remember the VIGOR. And although I live in an area where Honda/Acura vehicles are loved & plentiful, I've only seen a few in my life. I believe that Eric The Car Guy(ETCG1) has/had one.

I remember reading quite a bit about the Vigor when they first came out but they didn't seem to sell well for an Acura. I also remember them being quite a good car as well and reading about them in the automotive journalism publications.

One article in fact pitted the Vigor in a comparison test of 5 cars. The Vigor took 5th place. However, the article started out by saying...
How a car as good as the Vigor can take last place in this test only goes to show how good the competition is. That is still saying something as all the cars were close in their point structure and IMO there was no loser.

 

[paulo57509]

When Honda's of that vintage (mine included) start to have starter issues (no pun intended), like intermittent delayed cranking, intermittent solenoid not engaging, flat out no crank, it can be a sign that that the Main Relay is going bad. Might be a good idea to have one of those on the shelf too.

 

[spackard]

Yes, longitudinally-mounted inline 5, front wheel drive.
Some of the work I had done last year was resealing the oil leaks. That's kind of involved, because the engine pan has a hole cast into it for the half-shaft coming from the differential to pass through. You have to pull the half-shaft in order to remove the oil pan.
The power output goes front to rear, through the transmission, then rear to front, through the differential.

 

[partspro]

Yes, longitudinally-mounted inline 5, front wheel drive.
Some of the work I had done last year was resealing the oil leaks. That's kind of involved, because the engine pan has a hole cast into it for the half-shaft coming from the differential to pass through. You have to pull the half-shaft in order to remove the oil pan.
The power output goes front to rear, through the transmission, then rear to front, through the differential.

View attachment 91467

REALLY GREAT diagram, did that 5 cylinder require a balance shaft like many other 5 cylinder motors

 

[Fabulous50s]

Reminds me of a Toranado. I had a few VWs which were FWD and longitudinal 4 and 5 cyl. But the differential was integral with the trans, not further ahead like yours.

 

[spackard]

REALLY GREAT diagram, did that 5 cylinder require a balance shaft like many other 5 cylinder motors

I'm not at the computer that has the unzipped manual, so I can't see right now, but the engine is extremely smooth so I'm sure it has one. 144 degrees in between each spark. Can't be inherently smooth.