Any comments on these two starters? Thanks for your help!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PORSCHE-911-MINI-S...fe2&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Torque-Starte...B:WNARL:US:1123

You don't need high torque unless you have a BIG high compression motor.

he could just be trying to save weight, or spend less on a new starter.

I think the mini-starter, at about $120 shipped, is a great value. I have had mine for over 5 years with no problems. My car is a nearly stock 1976 model with fuel injection. It is driven mostly in fair weather from April to December. I do 5 or 6 autocrosses and an occasional driver's ed event each season.

There has been many discussions about this. In some cases the high torque starters do not fit properly and have been known to eat flywheel ring gears.

Thanks for the replies. I'm in the middle of taking apart my 74 and gathering parts at the same time. Last time it was driven, was in '98. I remember all the troubles during hot weather with the starters, frequently crawling under the car in a pinch and jumping it (relay??) with a long screw driver to get back home. Not really looking for torque or a cheap price, just something reliable, updated, new etc. light weight is appealing though. I'm sure there are other places to look for more starter reliability like good grounding, etc.
I am very thankful for all the expertise on 914 World!! You guys rock! If I new about this site years ago, I'd probably own more than one teener. I am very motivated again after all these years to make this baby better than new. Doing the total restore is expensive but will be well worth it, especially since I bought the car the year my son was born in 86. It's actually in my will that he gets it when I move on..
Thanks, again!! Dug

In my opinion its all about clean connections and wiring and not so much about the starter itself.


BTW, Its nice you see another 914er in the area. If you need any parts or help or anything, just give a shout.

This is exactly what happened to me this past week. I purchased the starter listed in the second link from Pelican, had it installed, and the pinion gear immediately began clashing with the ring gear of the flywheel. When the high-torque starter was removed and the flywheel inspected, you could clearly see on the flywheel where the gears had clashed. There was also evidence of damage to the pinion gear. Additionally, it was noted that the teeth of the pinion gear of the starter were pointed, as opposed to being cut flat and at an angle.

I replaced the starter on my '72 with one from O'Reilly Auto Parts & once I got the 'right' starter, it bolted right up and works perfect. It was under $50.

I have the hi torque mini and it works great for starting my fresh built 2056/9:1 compression. The stock was slow and weak, but the swap made a noticeable difference for faster cold starts.