4th starter going bad. why?

[joecool]

I know starter problems have been discussed numerous times over the years, so please bear with me. I am going to be installing my 4th starter since I bought the jeep about 4 years ago. Its a 94 by the way. The first one I can see going bad, because it was the original. The second two IIRC wore out slowly. They would turn, but it would take forever to start. The current starter I am going to replace, just died without warning. I went to start it one day and nothing like the battery was dead. I called my buddy who is a mechanic and he told me a trick of tapping the case of the starter with a hammer, while turning the key to get it started, which worked. The starter was a little oily, but i wouldnt think that would kill it. Anyway, I guess what I am trying to get a here is why am I going through so many starters?? Is advance auto parts just selling me crappy starters? Thanks in advance.
Joe

 

[XgeekstarX]

do you drive through a lot of water? i know mine died after driving through a swamp. check your oil pressure sending unit to see if it might be leaking onto the starter. the starters we sell at advance aren't the best in the world, but they have lifetime replacements. i've had a palladium on my 92 for about 2 months now and it has yet to give me problems.

 

[8Mud]

If your oil filter adapter "O" rings are leaking, the oil will work it´s way into the starter. I just open up the back and spray everything (mostly the brushes) out with brake cleaner. Kind of a trick (takes two people and patience) getting the four brushes pushed back in and putting the end cap back on. I sealed mine with a small paint brush and silicon on all of the joints last time. Next oil change, I guess I´m gonna have to change the O rings.
I´ve also packed mine full of muddy water and done the same thing.
Worn, oily or muddy brushes are what cause most starter failures.

 

[JoBo]

Anyway, I guess what I am trying to get a here is why am I going through so many starters?? Is advance auto parts just selling me crappy starters? Thanks in advance.
Joe

YES! I had the same "luck" with advanced auto part's starters on VW Golf diesel I owned once. I went through three rebuilts but I only had the car for two years.

JoBo

 

[yardape]

I've never replaced a Jeep starter but I remember having to properly shim the ones I have done in the past otherwise you get a hell of a lot of noise while cranking which can't be good. Generally I stay away from places like Autozone for rebuilt parts. I've been pretty happy with NAPA so far or I'll go to the dealership. You don't get good for cheap.

 

[Onkover]

I would say that your getting cheap parts. From all the 4.0s I have seen most are sort of hard to start. They tend to take a few seconds of cranking. Still blowing starters as you are you need to get one from a store that is going to give you a lifetime warrenty.

 

[Sarge]

If the oil was inside the unit then it can hurt/kill it.

Sarge

 

[joecool]

Thanks for the replies. To answer a couple of questions. I dont drive through lots of mud or water, and it looks like I am leaking oil from possibly the oil filter. So I will get that taken care of. It seems like the oil is what killed this starter, and the others must have worn out due to them being cheaply rebuilt. Oh, the starters do have a lifetime warranty. So should I just keep replacing starters at their expense or should I look into something like a mean green starter that would be better quality? Thanks again.

 

[8Mud]

I´ve got a 17 year old OEM starter, thats doing just fine. I´ve changed the brushes twice. It´s loud but it works. Darned starters are pretty bullet proof. It´s usually worn, dirty brushes or something else that is causing the problem. I just had my starter out and cleaned the oil off of the mounting surfaces, the improved grounds noticeably helped the RPM´s.
Starters use a lot of amps, most any kind of continuity problems degrade performance. Continuity through the brushes being the more common problem.

 

[langer1]

I don't know if it helps but I think it does. I open re-built starters and add a little grease to the bushings and then seal the thing with RTV before I put them on anything.

 

[XgeekstarX]

So should I just keep replacing starters at their expense or should I look into something like a mean green starter that would be better quality? Thanks again.

i think once you fix the oil leak then you'll be fine. i'd give it one more round and it keeps fouling up advance will give you your money back for it. just tell them it's like the 3rd or 4th one you've used and they keep dying. either way you shouldn't be losing.

 

[yardape]

All of the above but personally I wouldn't tell them it is your 3rd or 4th starter. That will point to something in your Jeep "possibly" causing the problem which could concievably get them off the hook for owing you a replacement part. Second, if you can't get another one out of them for free, I'd try another source. I think Precision Remanufacturing is a rebuilder with a good reputation and Mean Green is overkill