Is there anything that might wear down a starter?

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Let’s file this in the “there’s no such thing as a stupid question” file, because I really don’t know.

Reason why I’m asking this, is that I’ve just had the 2nd starter on my Sienna in the last 4 months, go bad. Now my Sienna is 12 years old; when I took it in last October, and my mechanic diagnosed it as a bad starter, he was surprised. Even for a 12 yo vehicle, he was surprised that it was going bad. Last week it wouldn’t start (the engine wouldn’t turn over; it just sounded like a power drill) and he diagnosed it as a bad starter (it cost me nothing, as the one he put in in October was still under warranty), and said it was the first bad one in 15 years that he had put in. What makes his statement even stronger, is the fact that this is now the first time I have ever taken any car to him (in 12-15 years) and had to take it to him a second time, because the part he put it, wasn’t working right--or had to take it back, because his previous diagnosis didn't fix the problem. This guy is good.

Now that has me wondering. I can see how a car part might wear down in 12 years---that doesn’t sound outrageous. But two in the last 4 months—I’m wondering if there is more at play here. Is there anything else that might be going wrong with my engine, that would cause a starter to go bad, I guess like a bad alternator might cause an otherwise good battery to lose its power?
 
What kind of replacement starter was installed? Was it new or remanufactured?

The one in my old Sienna is still working fine, but once it did act up and I bought a new Denso for a replacement. But it's still in the box as the old one hasn't done the funny thing again that it did that once.
 
I just looked and for some reason, I didn't see the paperwork in the glove compartment.

Having said that, I sincerely doubt it was rebuilt. He normally only installs new parts. I'm pretty sure he would have told me if it was remanufactured; he has directed me to other places that do that (rebuilt alternator and starter) a couple of times, so I'm pretty sure he would have installed a new part.

I suppose I could call him this week.
 
I take it from the fact that three posters here haven't mentioned this, that there really isn't anything in the engine that could cause a starter to wear prematurely?
 
Overcranking it might overheat and cause it to fail. You would know if you are cranking it for extended times that would cause it to fail.
 
Originally Posted By: spk2000
Overcranking it might overheat and cause it to fail. You would know if you are cranking it for extended times that would cause it to fail.


I don't think that is the case. I have driven it plenty, and have been in the passenger seat a few times when wifey was starting it, and we don't do that.
 
Yes , there are things that make a starter wear out faster.
Corrosion on the cables or internally will do that.
So will a weak battery.
warm climates burn them up faster too.

I am guessing that your mechanic used either a China new starter or ( less likely) a ND factory rebuild.
I have owned Toyota's many decades and the starter contacts wear out. It is not usually the motors.
ND rebuilds are far superior to China new stock.
They send them back to Japan and totally rebuild them.
https://parts.conicellitoyotaofconshohoc...TMtM2wtdjYtZ2Fz
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Either junk rebuilds or junk chinese new parts.

This
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
The ring gear can wear out. Not very common.


On the face of it, "the engine wouldn’t turn over; it just sounded like a power drill" sounds like the starter motor is operating but isn't engaging with the ring gear to turn over the engine.
 
Last week I removed the original 15 year starter off of the Alero and had it rebuilt by a local indy shop that is known for good work. Every few starts it would 'hang on' and grind on the flywheel, the wire contacts were very corroded, and the starter itself looked like it had been on the car since before World War II. I wouldn't trust a chain store China rebuild, though. I would have just bought OEM new and eaten the substantially higher price ($125 for the local rebuild v about $300 for ACDelco new) if I had no trustworthy local place available to do the work.
 
JHerriot, are you saying the starter would hang 'after' the rebuild? Or is it the reason OF the rebuild?



I talked to wrxeight and he said when he got his battery in tip top shape, his engine would start alarmingly fast. Now that it is just in okay shape, he still gets good starts, but not as wow like anymore.


So, a well charged battery should be a requisite to a healthy starter. Also, clean and wipe your cables, contacts and grounds the best you can. As for me, I try to get a cloth with some kind of penetrating oil, motor oil, or grease on it and wipe what I can of the starter to hopefully keep the metals in the starter in good shape and healthy. Wipe what you can and spray what you can't.
 
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: Chris142
The ring gear can wear out. Not very common.


On the face of it, "the engine wouldn’t turn over; it just sounded like a power drill" sounds like the starter motor is operating but isn't engaging with the ring gear to turn over the engine.


Just to spell that out a bit more, assuming the motor is spinning fast enough, possibilities would seem to include:-

Missing/worn teeth on part of the ring gear, which could produce an intermittent fault. That'd be bad. Turning it manually might find some teeth.

Mis-aligned/loose starter, but since it was fitted by a pro, shouldn't be that.

Sticky Bendix inertial gear (but that's a starter problem, so shouldn't be that), needing cleaned and lubricated.

If it isn't turning fast enough, that could be low current, either due to weak battery or resistance in the circuit
 
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
JHerriot, are you saying the starter would hang 'after' the rebuild? Or is it the reason OF the rebuild?


No, prior to the rebuild. The starter would hang on every few starts, grinding on the flywheel. I'm not sure what failure would cause that intermittent problem. That's why I had it rebuilt. I can tell you that I think Zeus himself mounted it to the block at the factory as I lifted my whole body off the ground while loosening the bolts.
 
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