High-torque starter motors - worth the money?

[Wilko220]

By virtue of having a shagged starter motor on the Sceptre, I've been doing a bit of looking around to find a replacement. I know I have the option of getting the existing one refurbished but I thought I'd have a look anyway to see if there was anything going.

 

In doing so, I stumbled across a few sites which sell "high-torque starter motors" - described as "modern gear driven units adapted to fit older vehicle applications". They are supposed to be lighter, use less power and be more effective and efficient than the original equipment.

 

So for my, er, application I could splash out on one of these:

 

http://www.ccw-tools.com/Talbot-Starters/WOSP-LMS033---Sunbeam-Alpine--Rapier--H120--Sceptre--Hunter--Vogue-Reduction-Gear-Starter-Motor/p-3456-34345/

 

Or a bit cheaper here:

 

http://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/1104/category/139

 

Question is, are these worth the investment? Has anyone bought and fitted one and had a good/bad experience?

 

 

[PhilA]

I have a gearbox-driven starter motor on my Renault- it's all good up until you gotta really hammer the thing when the car doesn't want to start. It seems to get hotter more quickly than a regular starter motor, tbh.

 

Between the two- if your battery is good and so is your wiring, the two don't really have much difference on an engine with normal compression other than the high-torque ones have more points of failure. My Rootes product had a hand-cranking handle. That tells me something right there about what size starter motor it needed...

 

--Phil

[purplebargeken]

They both look good to me but I am easily pleased. Sorry for the lack of decision oriented advice mate. 

[sheffcortinacentre]

i had loads of probs with my 5.0V8 Cortina (widely known problem with the smallblock ford) never had a problem since i bought mine from sumit raceing.

[purplebargeken]

The true AS way would be to buy a cheap (used) B&D drill, fit a suitably sized cog into the jaws of said drill, ram it into roughly the correct position, mount it to the engine using tinfoil and cable ties, wire it up to a toggle switch on the dash and away you go*

 

Now why didn't we think of that before, tsk.

[purplebargeken]

 

 

5.0V8 Cortina

Holy shit! Really? Wow!!!!

[Richard]

You can achieve the same effect as a reduction gear starter by simply leaving your lights on all night. Just fit a proper one.

[michael1703]

Sceptre starter is only a lucas 5inch, they're about £65 brand new

 

High torque is only worth having on v8/v12's

[Wilko220]

Ok, thanks for advice guys.

 

And yeah, +1 on more about the V8 Cortina!

[Wilko220]

Think I'll probably go for this one instead (which I'm 90% sure will fit!)

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TALBOT-AVENGER-1-3-1-6-DODGE-COMMER-PB-VAN-1-7-NEW-RMFD-STARTER-MOTOR-1974-81-/271433885833?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f32b86889

[Asimo]

And fit biggest modern battery in the space available, today's batteries are so much better than in Humber days.

[Wilko220]

And fit biggest modern battery in the space available, today's batteries are so much better than in Humber days.

 

What would appear (based on the space, fittings, etc) to be the original spec battery size is exactly the same as for my 2003 C15 van. I think that's probably more of a reflection on the C15 though...

[michael1703]

I fit 069 batteries to most classics if they fit or 063 if they don't

[fordperv]

i had loads of probs with my 5.0V8 Cortina (widely known problem with the smallblock ford) never had a problem since i bought mine from sumit raceing.

You've got to start a thread on this, you can't just say 5.0v8 cortina without pictures

[sheffcortinacentre]

its the one in my avatar< I@m useless with comps can@t do pics >will do a post shortly>
 

[Pete-M]

The Interceptor I used to look after was a lot better once fitted with a geared starter.

 

That was probably the best modification possible on that car. Huge battery, geared starter and a new carb. It ended up pretty reliable.

[purplebargeken]

The carbs on Ben's car seemed ok, diaphragms were fine, dashpots were a bit low on oil but sorted. 

 

The starter (or non-starter) motor is the culprit. Lovely car otherwise.