Favorable Brand for a Starter?

[Spool]

Hey Guys,
73 C20 here.

My starter is going and needs to be replaced.
I had it replaced two years ago and based off the other work the mechanic did at the time; I'm assuming he used poor parts.

Regardless, It needs to be replaced.
Any recommendations? AutoZone has a Duralast for $86.
Anything to consider when buying?

Thanks.
-Thomas

[VileZambonie]

Availability, relative distance to parts store and warranty should be your #1 considering factors when buying such parts. Duralast is fine for a reman starter.

[Spool]

All are relatively abundant and near as I live in Los Angeles.

Would there be any other factors as to the make and parts of a start though?

[Irish_Alley]

warranty I go with autozone as the best with no hassle. NAPA you need a receipt or if its on a commercial account they can look it up that way. advance auto around here really started pushing the LLT Warranty as in it was only good for the original product and you can only use it once. If i travel out of state or even out of my area i cant be like "i got this from the NAPA in my town on a commercial account" and think they can look it up.

i could however go a few states away and go to autozone say "heres my phone number, this is the truck. i would like to get it tested and swapped out" theyll do it with no issues if they can type on the computer and you dont overload and freeze the workers brain with all this information you just gave them

[Spool]

Thanks Irish!

I do appreciate the points at Autozone too. From their site, for a 73 C20. They have a few options, I've screen grabbed it and attached here.
Do you happen to know the benefits in the price differences between these, or is a starter a starter?

Also, I recently picked up a voltage meter. Would I be able to test the starter myself or do you recommend it's better to take it out and bring it into autozone?

(My truck has been acting funny lately with turning the engine over. No start/no sound. Tapping the starter seems to do the trick to get it start, and then it's fine for another day or so.
Because it also effected my interior lights and stereo, I ruled out the ignition switch and am currently trouble shooting the starter.)

[Irish_Alley]

given the choice between the two they have in stock DLG (duralast gold) and DL (duralast) i would just go for the duralast. the gold is 100% new and the reg duralast is rebuilt. ive always been told and said they take a "core" in take it apart and replace the bad part, clean and inspect the rest. then put it back together and ship her back out to the store.

you may be thinking "100% new means it will last longer" this is basic logic but truth is if the solenoid is a common problem and they replace it with a new solenoid its now pretty much in the same condition as a 100% new with just some wear on the other parts. i remember one time with alternators, i sold a duralast and valucraft about the same time and they both cam back with in a week of each other. its kind of a luck of the draw with these electronic parts.

so to sum up all this i would get the reg duralast and save the $45

[Irish_Alley]

about testing a starter, you can take it in to the store and they will bench test it but this doesnt put a load on the starter but this doesnt sound like your issue. but before you replace anything make sure you have 12v to the top post on the solenoid and 12v to the little wire on the starter when the key is turned to "start". make sure all your wires have a good clean connection

[Sinister.454]

I usually get stuck with a bad solenoid..the starter is fine.
I started adding an external solenoid under the hood,never had problems again,especially with headers,and hot starting.
The problem is the heat and moisture the starter solenoid receives,in its stock location.

[Stewart G Griffin]

i'm not saying the auto parts store brands, Dorman etc. stink.

i'm saying, sorry, but only Delco-Remy, AC Delco, Powermaster, Tildon etc. for me.

[hatzie]

I would stay away from NEW starters.  They are Chinese manufacture.
Rebuilt USA made Delco parts are in every way superior to the Chinese floor sweepings available as "NEW" parts.

Honestly you're in Automobile Central.  You should be able to find good reliable outfits in LA, Orange County, San Bernardino County, or The Valley, that will take your starter clean it up, replace the brushes, bearings, bushings, Bendix, solenoid and any other worn parts then test the field and armature windings for faults for a fairly reasonable price.  I've had that done with a Delco 28MT for the 6.5L in my 76 and the 24v version of the Delco 27MT on my M1008.  They work great and they both have more than 6 years on the rebuild.  Warranty was 12 months.  Never needed to use it. 

The "lifetime warranty" isn't worth much when you factor in the aggravation of replacing the part every 8 months. 

[roundhouse]

I'd find a local place that can rebuild your starter

The remanufactured starters alternators water pumps etc at auto parts stores are usually old worn out stuff that was just dunked in parts cleaner and had some new paint thrown at it 

Sure.  It has a lifetime warranty
But what's that worth when it craps  out while you're on a ferry to an island ?

Happened to me . 
After that I just have them rebuilt locally



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[big_al273]

I would recommend a Bosch starter, I put a new gear reduction Bosch starter in my 88 crew cab just after i bought it (the re-manned starter in it was about to fail) and I've had zero issue with it even after sitting all last winter, Bosch also has 24/7 2 year roadside assistance included in the warranty of all new starters (in the US and Canada)

[Irish_Alley]

i had a local shop build my alternator. might have lasted a month and i was a couple states away on vacation when it crapped out. so i went to the local napa in Va and had to buy one. i now have the napa alt on the truck and got the shop to rebuild the other for free that sits in my tool box. youre going to hear "ive had good luck with these and bad with these" its constantly going to go back and forth. but i think its all luck of the draw for some of the crap, i put a stater on my mud truck many years ago, never had one issue with it. my buddy put one on his mud truck and it went bad within a month. might have even had a second go bad shortly after. but we sealed one up with rtv and its been on his truck for many years now with no issue

[Stewart G Griffin]

I would recommend a Bosch starter, I put a new gear reduction Bosch starter in my 88 crew cab just after i bought it (the re-manned starter in it was about to fail) and I've had zero issue with it even after sitting all last winter, Bosch also has 24/7 2 year roadside assistance included in the warranty of all new starters (in the US and Canada)

Yes, i think Bosch is high quality.  (Although i'm not sure about some of their gauges)

[Stewart G Griffin]

Let's also discuss the newer gm starter that came on some later (2000 and later?) model small block equipped trucks.