Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 03:46:44 -0400
Reply-To: Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: "Hitachi" starter in a Vanagon - the real scoop
In-Reply-To: <001601c5a2f9$02a74440$0a0ba8c0@RON>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I live in Houlton, Maine where winter temperatures are frequently -20°
Fahrenheit with wind chills of -50° or colder. Neither my '84 automatic
nor my '85 4 speed have ever failed to start in the winter. Both have
Bosch starters.
The starter in the '84 is the same one that was in it when I got it in
'91, and is probably the original. But to be fair, I've only lived in
Maine for 6 years. Before that I was in Hawaii. The starter in the '85
was in it when I got it, 3 years ago, and, if one can go by appearances,
it could be original to the van.
Mike
The Bus Depot wrote:
>>This is a great bit of information here but you are missing
>>two important benefits of the IMI unit. First, this is a
>>fully self supported starter eliminating the need for the
>>bushing in the transmission. Two, it draws considerably less
>>current, (~1/2) of the standard starter allowing for improved
>>cold weather starts. The solenoid is more reliable than the
>>Bosch units also.
>
>
>
> Point well taken, of course. Although in my experience, the Bosch design
> works sufficiently even in cold weather. My Vanagons have always started
> reliably down to the single digits, which is about as cold as it gets around
> here. (Then again, maybe those who live in sub-zero climates would report a
> different experience, a factor which I admittedly have not considered.)
>
> I can't argue with you about a gear reduction starter's thoeretical
> advantages. But I'm less convinced about cost/benefit. If a gear reduction
> starter were the same price it would be a no-brainer; there's no downside.
> But it's almost double the price. For that price difference (for those who
> consider such things), the bottom line is, does its theoretical advantage
> translate into a demonstrable "real world" benefit? Either a starter starts
> the vehicle when you need it to, or it doesn't. If it does, then from a
> "real world" standpoint it's as good as a starter that's ten times the
> price. If it doesn't, then it's worthless. We sell a reasonable number of
> starters, but I wouldn't call them a high-failure item compared to many
> other Vanagon parts. As a rule, the original Bosch Vanagon starters seem to
> do their job and last relatively long. When they don't, it's often due to
> other factors (most commonly a poor quality rebuild) rather than due to the
> inherent inadequacy of the design itself. (I've spoken to people whose
> original Bosch lasted 10 years or longer, and then went through three
> discount-store generic rebuilds in quick succession. That's not a design
> flaw, it's a lousy rebuild.) For people who have had good luck with the
> Bosch design until now, I'd think that a near doubling in price would seem
> hard to justify. But for those Vanagon owners for whom the stock design has
> proved inadequate (I was thinking high-compression engines, but I suppose
> sub-zero temps could be another), it makes sense.
>
> - Ron Salmon
> The Bus Depot, Inc.
> www.busdepot.com
> (215) 234-VWVW
>
> _____________________________________________
> Toll-Free for Orders by PART # : 1-866-BUS-DEPOT
>
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