New poster, long time lurker. I'm trying to understand the Mini-Starter issue, have read the posts i could find:

Anyway, I just blew the starter motor in my 1964 Dodge W200 with the slant six. I am interested in using the newer starter from the 2006 Dodge Hemi manual trans model, or is it the 1989-2001?

But I have a dumber question. Does this newer design eliminate the separate starter relay? It looks like it has a tab for a starter wire from the ignition key. I understand that this conversion works if you drill out the threaded hole to 9/16".

Have I got this right?

Thank you!

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1964 Dodge W200 Power Wagon

When I put the mini starter on my 79 Volare (slant 6) I just bolted it into place. No modifications. It does not eliminate the starter relay. It was the same when I put one on my 65 Belvedere (also slant 6).

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-MattMan
LEANED & MEAN

That should be asked on an early 60's Dodge Truck is:

Does your truck have the low mount starter?

High-mount or low-mount, the first question is whether your truck has the direct-drive starter or the gear-reduction starter. They aren't interchangeable, and which kind you have depends on your truck's engine/transmission/clutch/light or heavy duty specs. One way to tell: before the starter went out, did your truck sound like this when cranking?

Or like this?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Like the first example. Is there any way to tell what kind it is by looking at it? I'm off to replace the starter relay because it looks pretty rattty, and this thing just became a daily driver, so we need to eliminate points of failure.

Thanks!

H

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1964 Dodge W200 Power Wagon

"Sounds like the first example" = direct-drive starter = mini starter won't fit/won't work unless you spend time and big bucks getting one custom-built.

The direct-drive starters are a good bit scarcer than the other type and (again) they don't interchange with the other type. I may have a good (or at least rebuildable) direct-drive starter to suit your truck; send me a PM if you'd like me to check my shelves.

(It should go without saying you could also remove the starter and bring it in to a local auto electrical rebuilding shop to be refurbished)

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Actually I just finished an interesting modification that might make this more economical for the slant truck guys and the NP-435 4 speed/11" clutch combo...

I have successfully gotten one to mesh using the standard "short/late" mini-starter body for the 3.9/5.2/5.9L like we use for the high mount starter uprade...but installed the starter gear and shaft cluster from a 90's 3.3L Grand Caravan with the 11 tooth starter gear... so far it meshes in the low mount starter bellhousing with the 143 tooth flywheel....

If someone were junkyard savvy, and being the Denso starter is modular this conversion would be about $100 total for 2 junkyard starters and a replacement contact set... which is cheaper than the $350 Powermaster starter....

Need to make one more of these test starters and find a guinea pig in Oregon for a lengthly road test .... but it does look promising.

That's interesting. I'm having trouble imagining how that combination works, given that the known-to-work swap involves putting in a custom-made 9-tooth pinion smaller in diameter than the stock 10-tooth item.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

The 11 tooth gear actually has a smaller base circle and finer pitched teeth than the 10 tooth gear...

This was one of those moments I had the starters laying around, I wonder if that would work kind of things...

I need to get some pics up, and document this... and I need to get a local volunteer to daily drive one to see if it holds up...

So, it sounds like the correct approach is to replace the existing Chinese rebuilt starter with another Chinese rebuilt starter. The one I have lasted a whole 2000 miles. Woo hoo...

Thanks!

H

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1964 Dodge W200 Power Wagon

Maybe not, Azlaw. Let's explore what you said in your first thread post. You "blew" the starter in your truck. Could you clarify what you mean by "blew" it?
Does it still turn over, but not engage the flywheel?
I'm thinking that your best course of action, (not necessarily your lowest cost), might be to take it to a local auto electrical guy and get it rebuilt by him. He might have a source of higher quality parts, and he can inspect everything with a whole lot more care than an uncaring assembly line "remanufacturer".

Roger

FWIW, ten years ago I restored my '73 D100, and with everything else under the hood repaired or replaced, I decided to get a shiny, new starter relay. The forty-year-old original was very rusty and I suspected it was near time to fail.

The pretty, Mexico-made replacement lasted one week before it failed. NAPA gave me a new part with the same vendor marking, and it didn't even last long enough to start the truck one time as one of the high voltage posts broke off before the nut was even tightened.

The part wasn't worth another 8 mile drive to NAPA, so I threw it in the garbage, polished up the ancient Mopar piece and ten years later it's still working fine.

Your experience may vary.

The one I (think I) have is an original never-rebuilt, American-made item. You could have it refurbished in America and not have to think about the starter for another few decades.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Nifty.



Well, Azlaw probably isn't quite local, but…!

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

What is the difference between a 3248 starter and a 3251 starter? The one mounted in the truck says "3248", while the auto parts computers are saying it's supposed to be a 3251 starter?

Parts availability is turning out to be an issue - is there any other starter that will do this job? I can email pics if necessary - it is a 3 bolt mounted unit marked "3248". I just changed out the old Chinese fender relay with a new Chinese fender relay, and I hear it click.

Further - this is not the original block for the car. The machine shop switched it with another one when they wrecked the original block.

Thanks!

H

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1964 Dodge W200 Power Wagon