Starters! Power Select or/vs Remy

[gamefoo21]

The starter on my RSX is starting to act up more and more. It's got the internal solenoid version and from what I've read it seems the solenoid is going.

I'm looking to get an 'upgraded' one with the external solenoid, since they make them. Which is where things get more complicated I guess.

Rockauto has both new. The Remy has a lifetime warranty and it looks a bit more stout but it's almost twice the price of the Power Select and it's 1 year warranty.

Does anyone have any experience with Power Select starters?

It's a job I only want to do once because to get at the starter, I have to pull the intake off the engine.

Internet searches aren't turning up much of anything.

Edit: Seems the Power Select is the Type S starter looking at pictures. Type-S is 1.2kW and the Base is rated at 1.7kW except by Denso who says it's 1.2kW too.

 

[mk378]

If by "act up" you mean sometimes there is a loud click from the starter but it doesn't turn, that can be solved by replacing the contact points in the solenoid. Third party kits are widely available from ebay etc. It's a simple job but you would have to take the starter off of the car.

 

[gamefoo21]

Originally Posted by mk378
If by "act up" you mean sometimes there is a loud click from the starter but it doesn't turn, that can be solved by replacing the contact points in the solenoid. Third party kits are widely available from ebay etc. It's a simple job but you would have to take the starter off of the car.


Yeah it clicks and then makes a weird groan like sound.

I'll have to look into this and see how difficult it is to replace those bits. I'm used to external solenoids, so this Mitsuba and it's internal one is a bit weird to me.

Off to Ebay!

 

[gamefoo21]

I ordered a brush kit. Way cheaper than an entire starter.

Here's to hoping it sorts it out.

 

[PandaBear]

Why not a Denso Reman?

 

[BeerCan]

I'm a fan of fixing starters and alternator's your self. It's usually pretty easy to do. Most of the time it is just brushes or contacts. The windings are usually ok. I just replaced the brushes on a 36 year old alternator for 15 bucks and it included the regulator.

If windings are bad you can usually find a local shop that can fix it cheap if you are able to have your car inop for a week.

Much better than reman junk

 

[mk378]

I don't know about the groan sound. The ones I've had on old Hondas would just click and then nothing. Turn the key back and forth to click it a few times and then it would make a normal start. The chance of starting decreases over time until eventually it never will.

Watch out that you're not losing power to the whole car by turning the lights on when you try to start-- they should dim some but stay on. If the whole car dies, check the battery connections.

 

[gamefoo21]

That sounds like what it does, the groan sound is probably the starter trying to force itself to spin but can't.

At worst it won't work, and need other repairs or replacement.

 

[qdeezie]

I've had very good success with Remy starters and alternators. That is my go-to brand.

 

[gamefoo21]

Originally Posted by qdeezie
I've had very good success with Remy starters and alternators. That is my go-to brand.


After some thinking about how much I save vs time wasted if the starter dies. The Remy is an excellent value.

The Denso reman on RockAuto will also cost more than the new Remy.

Core costs for Canadians on RA are basically lost costs unless they are big enough compared to the item weight. I sent a set of brake calipers back and out of the $100 of core I got back $20-30.