Need a starter for the Jeep

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Sunnyinhollister

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My 1998 Wrangler starter gave up the ghost. I was looking at Rockauto and was wondering if anyone had any experience with the AC Delco Professional series? They seem to have new and rebuilt. Or is there another preferred brand? Rockauto lists a new unit from Pure Energy, USA Industries reman, Remey new and reman, Bosch reman, and Denso reman. I prefer to buy once, cry once.

Thanks!
 
Hello, Once upon a time here a thread was created to assemble a list of do's and don'ts for shadetree mechanics.

One guy said, "Get the second from the most expensive part on a RockAuto list." It made me smile.

Is there no starter/alternator rebuild shop near you? Kira
 
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
does not advance auto have a lifetime warranty?


At a little over 200,000 miles my Tundra starter completely gave up.
It was even kind enough to give me a couple of months warning (took a few turns of the key to get it to go).

The starter in the 4.7 V8 is located in a somewhat precarious position.
The good news is I didn't have to crawl under the vehicle to change it.
Bad news is that it's under the intake manifold; yes, I said intake.

While the job wasn't as bad as it sounds, it took me an afternoon to replace it, it's not one I want to do again anytime soon.
As a general rule, Japanese vehicles are known for their excellent electrical components.
I opted for an OEM Denso starter. The major parts stores near me all had different price levels, brands and warranties, but none had a Denso. So I went to the dealer and paid a little more than the parts stores.
(Also, it pays to call different dealers as the prices may vary, sometimes substantially)

Is it a lifetime warranty? No.
But putting another brand in just because Advance offered a lifetime warranty wasn't enough for me since I plan on keeping this vehicle for a while yet.

And that's not a knock on Advance, I have and will continue to shop there.
Just not for my Tundra starter.
 
I have the cheapest remanufactured one from Advance on the Cherokee. I got the "new" starter from Napa (cost about $200) and it didn't work. It's the second starter from Napa I have had that did not work.

The OE starter on my 2000 Jeep 4.0 was made by Mitsubishi! It started to have issues right before I had an offroading trip so I decided to replace it on a Friday night. Of course, it didn't work. The starter on a Jeep 4.0 is a MESSY job from all the oil drips.

I was quite angry. That is the last time I stepped foot in a Napa. Never again.
 
To KzMitch: I'm with you there. Any "lifetime guarantee" is good as it is but they know most will never use it either by transferring the vehicle's ownership or forgetting about the guarantee.

To Miller88: Check the condition of the swag of your 15 year old red battery cable. My pal (competent auto tech grad) went through 2 "rebuilds" from AAP only to learn the swag was filled with corrosion.

New cable = starter which worked AND cured MAJOR fuel delivery system woes.
NOTE: The nascent fuel controller ('89 K1500) was powered by a moulded in tap-off in the red cables swag. Kira
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
Hello, Once upon a time here a thread was created to assemble a list of do's and don'ts for shadetree mechanics.

One guy said, "Get the second from the most expensive part on a RockAuto list." It made me smile.

Is there no starter/alternator rebuild shop near you? Kira


RockAuto does carry many brands, several I have never heard of. But that does not mean they are good or bad.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
To KzMitch: I'm with you there. Any "lifetime guarantee" is good as it is but they know most will never use it either by transferring the vehicle's ownership or forgetting about the guarantee.

To Miller88: Check the condition of the swag of your 15 year old red battery cable. My pal (competent auto tech grad) went through 2 "rebuilds" from AAP only to learn the swag was filled with corrosion.

New cable = starter which worked AND cured MAJOR fuel delivery system woes.
NOTE: The nascent fuel controller ('89 K1500) was powered by a moulded in tap-off in the red cables swag. Kira


The bendix was malfunctioning. That was the same thing that happened on my other Napa starter. But the cable is certainly corroded; that's why it always cranks like it has a dead battery.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Take yours in to a local shop for a rebuild: same day service.

Support your local economy.


+ this would be my first thought.


+1 and it will save you a bundle most of the time.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Take yours in to a local shop for a rebuild: same day service.

Support your local economy.


+ this would be my first thought.


Me too.

My local shop would charge about $100 for the job. Complete rebuild of a known good starter. Done the same day.
 
I've personally seen 1-2 too many "lifetime warranty" alternators or starters fail after a year. Sure, the shop will swap the part no questions, but you're still stuck re-doing the job. Local NAPA repair shop, in fact, will only use their highest-tier branded NAPA parts, for this very reason. The NAPA highest-tier alternator costs the same as OEM.

OP made a wise decision -- if it's a subaru or a chrysler 3.8 where the alternator is a 30 minute job, sure, why not.... but where their's more labor OR you plan to keep the car a long time, I think the oem expense is worth it.
 
Originally Posted By: KzMitch

The good news is I didn't have to crawl under the vehicle to change it.
Bad news is that it's under the intake manifold; yes, I said intake.


Toyota takes a page from the Cadillac Northstar playbook. That's not the engine I would have taken playbook pages from. :-/
 
Originally Posted By: KzMitch
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
does not advance auto have a lifetime warranty?


At a little over 200,000 miles my Tundra starter completely gave up.
It was even kind enough to give me a couple of months warning (took a few turns of the key to get it to go).

The starter in the 4.7 V8 is located in a somewhat precarious position.
The good news is I didn't have to crawl under the vehicle to change it.
Bad news is that it's under the intake manifold; yes, I said intake.

While the job wasn't as bad as it sounds, it took me an afternoon to replace it, it's not one I want to do again anytime soon.
As a general rule, Japanese vehicles are known for their excellent electrical components.
I opted for an OEM Denso starter. The major parts stores near me all had different price levels, brands and warranties, but none had a Denso. So I went to the dealer and paid a little more than the parts stores.
(Also, it pays to call different dealers as the prices may vary, sometimes substantially)

Is it a lifetime warranty? No.
But putting another brand in just because Advance offered a lifetime warranty wasn't enough for me since I plan on keeping this vehicle for a while yet.

And that's not a knock on Advance, I have and will continue to shop there.
Just not for my Tundra starter.



alternatively my friend replaced his 2001 avalon starter recently from advance and it was $85 after coupon/core trade in and a lifetime warranty. Like him, I would put up with lower quality for $85 and infinite replacements.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
alternatively my friend replaced his 2001 avalon starter recently from advance and it was $85 after coupon/core trade in and a lifetime warranty. Like him, I would put up with lower quality for $85 and infinite replacements.


Purposely choosing lower quality parts is bad idea in my opinion... just get the DENSO from Japan and never have to deal with it again.

I assumed with a Jeep, DENSO parts were probably not available, but they are!
 
Originally Posted By: CELICA_XX
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
alternatively my friend replaced his 2001 avalon starter recently from advance and it was $85 after coupon/core trade in and a lifetime warranty. Like him, I would put up with lower quality for $85 and infinite replacements.


Purposely choosing lower quality parts is bad idea in my opinion... just get the DENSO from Japan and never have to deal with it again.

I assumed with a Jeep, DENSO parts were probably not available, but they are!


Yeah...me too...saving even a hundred bucks on a cheaper part with a "lifetime" warranty doesn't make up for my time in having to change it out more often.

It really doesn't make up for the time that the car won't start and I'm stuck.

It's a false economy unless you're planning to get rid of the car soon.

I replaced the OE starter with another Denso starter on the 4 Runner in 1996. Paid quite a bit. That truck has not needed a new one in nearly 20 years and nearly 200,000 miles.

Starting every time, including on remote trails and in -30 degree weather: priceless
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the replies.

There are no rebuilders within at least 50 miles so that's out. We don't have AA out here so that's out. There are no new ones from the OEM so that's out. The OEM does offer rebuilt ones though.

The ones that I listed are what rock auto carries. The other options are Powermaster or Mean Green starters.
 
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