What starter for a V8?

[paul mc]

Hi,

After my rebuild i was always very pleased at how well my 1987 3.5V8 EFi started, it always fired into life after a couple of turns. However, during one of the many sessions where I was having timing and fuel problems I got carried away and burnt out the starter, I replaced it with a second hand starter off flea bay thinking they would all do the job but now i'm finding that, while it always starts, it is much slower, often up to 10 seconds of turning over before it fires.

The only difference i notcied when fitting the 'new' starter was that the main positive connection stud was quite a lot shorter than the old one (the connections here are still clean and secure though, it's just that i always used to hold the starter cables on with two nuts for security, now i can only fit on one).

Anyway, I want to buy a new one as its annoying (not to mention embarrassing) to have to turn over for ages every time I set off but is there any particularly good starters out there which i 'must have', or will an aftermarket one from Paddocks do (about £80 delivered). I have seen the powerlite ones but they are bloody expensive, but are they worth it?

Thanks,

Paul

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

There are 3 x types of starters I can advise on

The older "BIG" Lucas type - very very very good but big, often you'll find that they foul on trying to fit to a

RR with twin downpipes etc, I had one on a 3.5 years ago, and its beats the later type

Later type, often Bosch lucas or magnetc marelli, these have a LOT of plastic bushings etc inside,

and are massively affected by heat from engine, and Die sometimes quite fast.

Prestolite junk - horrible horrible horrible aftermarket junk, that dies faster than you can say "Thats fitted and sorted for a while then"..

Don't buy a prestolite one !

There are if you are flush High powered high speed starters, but v spendy

I have several Later type second hand ones for sale if you wnat / interested

FWIW the 5.2 will have the std Later type - big one won't fit, can't justify the High Speed £££s one, and have several

of the later types .....

HTH

Nige

[Range Rover Blues]

Crikey, I've only ever swapped the starter when the engine went!

I have noticed that some have the solenoid above the motor and others have it sticking out sideways. Only noticed, never looked closely.

[paul mc]

It turns out my old starter was a BIsch tyoe and the one currenty in it is a Magnetti Marelli. I have swapped them both back to see if it was just the Magentti branded one that was carp but they are both starting the engine slowly so must be something else after all. The only thing i can think is that the timing is slightkly advanced to suit LPG, although it starts on petrol, would this be a likely cause?

Thanks,

Paul