New 'lifetime warranty' starter from O'reilly is junk

[Gray Ghost]

Originally Posted by kookykrispy

Well, now this is very strange. The wife gave me a ride and I got down there, hopped in and it started right up... ??? so WTF? I guess this is an intermittant problem. Could it have something to do with heatsoak? After getting it home, I started it several times again, with no problems. I will double check all the connections... maybe I should replace the main battery cable? Is there any merit to wiring in a ford style remote solonoid? I added one one my '67 GTO and it cured all my heatsoak starting problems.... but that car is high compression, has headers and a ministarter too. This truck is stock! Could it be still experiencing heat soak?

I still don't like this O'reilly starter. I want to do something to cure this so it does not happen again. I want this truck to be dead on reliable, and start every time no matter what.

Good luck with that. You are driving an old truck and using a $40 starter...life ain't gonna be perfect. Take it off the truck and back to OR's and get your cash back, then go somewhere else and get one. Chances are you'll get a better one and then you can come back here and tell us how wonderful their parts are.

[Ackattack]

I too have fought with starters on these old trucks, being stranded on the side of the road many times. I installed a high torque mini starter and even had a problem with that a few times. Finally I installed a remote starter solenoid and never had any more problems.

If and when I ever have another sbc, that will probably be one of the first things that I install.

Good luck!

[flynbrian]

The Manual I bought at Adavance auto has a whole section on how to rebuild alternators and starters & water pumps. Its either a Haynes or Chiltons..."How to rebuild Chevy Engines book" I use it for reference once in awhile.

Good bathroom reading material.


I have had bad luck with lifetime Radiators, Alternators, Brake master cylinders, and several other items.

The worst was the master cylinder for my 70' It failed on me in November and I almost crashed the truck on a 4 lane busy highway! It was "remanned autozone junk" I went back and almost threw it at them. They gave me back all of my money for it and I bought the "New" one that looks identical with no core charge either. The "new" one is working for now....But I am still very gun-shy about it! Its said made in China on the box and that spells junk in my vocabulary...
I work on Chinese scooters all the time at the Bike shop I work at part time. They have gotten much better with time...But the electrical systems are still junk. Switches and bulbs from China got to be the worst I've ever seen...And if you look at the wire insulation the wrong way....It will fall off the wire. Stuff made in Taiwan is actually much better than China...And Some of the Europe stuff is almost as bad as China...(I got a thing for Scooters) Vespa's are well known for having JUNK electrics.
The worst problem I see with the master cylinder made in China is the rubber seals...Seems that the rubber from over there sucks bad. Their valve stems will dryrot in like two months when exposed to the sun....So watch out.

[Aarons72s]

Originally Posted by flynbrian

The worst problem I see with the master cylinder made in China is the rubber seals...Seems that the rubber from over there sucks bad. Their valve stems will dryrot in like two months when exposed to the sun....So watch out.

I have to agree 100% with that. Any thing rubber I have bought that was made in china rotted and cracked within a year. Be it rubber ties for wagons or wheel barrows, air hoses, o rings, washers and so on.

[MotorSeven]

Interesting thread. I have heard the horror stories about crappy starters from discount type auto parts stores. Funny thing, about 30 miles away from me is an old timer that has been re-building starters for 50+ years. Everyone i have talked to here has never had one he rebuilt fail. This is not majic or rocket science folks, but is seems that corporate America could give a rats #$* about it's consumer. We(USA business) can't even be bothered with building our own starters anymore........................sad.


RD

[2bits]

It is going to be hard finding made in USA replacement parts like that anywhere. Get you two starters, alternators, fuel pumps and water pumps and put one on your truck and the other in your tool box.

[leddzepp]

Starters, alternators, A/C compressors...always have them built by a local shop that does it on the premises. You will not have problems then. When I buy an alternator from autozone, I immediately take it to my local shop and have old Ernie rebuild it and convert it to one wire. Never have problems this way.

[kxnomore]

back to the starter issue. You mentioned heat soak, and I've had some bad luck with that too.

I had a new Kragen starter go bad after a long road trip. It just wouldn't click over until the truck cooled completely. Then it cranked right over.

So I returned it for a new one, but this time I got a new plastic cover for the solenoid and wrapped the whole starter with a heat blanket kit. That was 2 years ago and I haven't had any trouble since.

But I definitely agree with all the posts about the old time mechanics actually fixing problems, and not just throwing parts at something, crossing your fingers, and hoping the owner sells the car before your installed junk breaks.

[Green Machine]

We usually rebuild our own starters and alternators also. Sometimes they are too bad to fix, then we have run the cheaper line of NAPA rebuilts. They have several grades, the more expensive line is supposed to be better, but we've had no problems yet, with even the cheaper ones. I don't think NAPA is any worse nor any better that any other parts house.

We are lucky to have a local electric motor service, that may be the best place to to get something rebuilt if you have one close.

[Cunit69]

Hey I was made in Mexico.. but I never build any starters!!!!!!!!!!

[70Custom10Nut]

You know, I went through that same circus a few years ago with the "discount" replacement for my truck, (the kid behind the counter insisted it was the right one) and ended up being able to remove and install a starter in 20 minutes or less (I did this 5 times in a 1 year period). You pay a little more for factory, but my current one has been in place for almost 9 years now. One more note, If you have a nose cone that works, never let it out of your sight.chevy:

[corn]

Parts house cheap line starters & alternators are all the same. The only thing that gets replaced is the part that is bad. The premium lines have been completely rebuilt. I like cheap parts as much as the next guy, but Ill spend the extra $10 for the premium line when it comes to starters & alternators.

[BowTieMan]

Originally Posted by yotaforce

"Anyone can crap in a box and stamp lifetime warranty it..."-Chris Farley-"Tommy Boy"

LMAO!!! that movie was just on a few min ago here.

And I think I went thru 4 lifetime warranty starters from autozone in my 70 before I got one that lasted.

[blazer72]

Originally Posted by yotaforce

"Anyone can crap in a box and stamp lifetime warranty it..."-Chris Farley-"Tommy Boy"

"but at the end of the day, all you got is a warrantied piece of ****"

[70' GMC]

I got one from napa in 2007 and it went out like in the summer of 2008. all the stuff is foreign for our trucks and you are not going to find one made in america or canada. Only mexijapachin parts for your 67-72 chevy gmc pick up.

[straitnate14]

theres a shop in our town that does starters stuff like that and it's a going rate of $45 for anything unless it's got some special part, go in and all you see is crap everywhere and they pull your starter out of a pile of junk with a tag on it and a fresh coat of paint they never have any problems either

[67ChevyRedneck]

Heat soak *may* be your problem. My 67 went through 3 or 4 starters in a couple years time as well as leaving me stuck at gas stations and other places because it was too "hot" to start.

I installed a new starter and heat shield well over a year ago and I haven't had any starter issues yet. They're kinda cheap. This one is metal.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/Pro...goryCode=3638J

[special-K]

Lifetime warranty just means they`ll keep throwing jink parts at you until you give up or sell the vehicle.Has nothing to do with quality.I like to take my starters,alternator,and carbs to a trusted benchwork shop.You get your same part back and talk to the guy who`s doing the work.Cheaper,too.In a pinch I go to Napa,pay the core,and keep my part.

[69C10@16]

I too work at O'Reilly's here at home.

If my starter went out I would ship it to a mom and pop place that our store is hooked up with called J&I. They rebuild starters and alternators for our customers all the time and I haven't heard one complaint yet out of a customer.

I have an O'Reilly Alternator on the GMC and it's the third, one of them stranded me 100 miles away from home. The sale was registered in our system and I got my replacement though.

It's just like was stated earlier, NOTHING is made the way it used to be. The next time that alternator goes out I'm going to say screw it and ship it to J&I too and have them rewind the thing to a higher amperage while they are there. The Off Road Lights I'm going to be ordering this summer really take some power.