I have a customer with a failing Hi-Torque starter. I'm not sure how to advise.

I've never had a problem with a Bosch starter, and I personally have experienced good and bad results (ruined flywheel) with Hi-Torque starters, and honestly don't know how to determine the good from the bad.

My personal inclination is toward advising to get a Bosch. He's an hour away so I'm advising he get's a local (to him) shop do the job.

I just want to make sure he gets a reliable starter. Please share your real world/practical experience.

We always get origional starters and alternators rebuilt at a shop local to us. Work fine on 2.0-3.8 engines. Cost $75-125 depending on what is needed. Why do you even need a hi torque starter in a low compression (almost every 914) four.

If your got to have the extra torque use the 911 74-up starter SR68X. Has 1.5 hp vs the stock .8 hp. Yes, it is heavy but I have never seen a flywheel problem with it.

Perry,

My guy Hans who has been on VWs & Porsches since the 1960s only uses OE starter, new/NOS when available, & then on Reman by Bosch when not. Hans was factory trained on the 914 in 1969, when he worked at Circle Porsche in Long Beach CA, until he starting his own indy shop in `72, & I've been going to him since I started looking for my 914 in Summer `75. So he knows them, & even Krusty knew him.

My experience in my 914 when my DD 1975-85 (before getting whacked & stored since then), & then with our `88 Westy has been great with the Bosche Reman starters.

So I'd suggest that you recco them.

If you want to talk to Hans directly, then email me for his phone number, which I won't post here since nowadays he only works on 914s for his old customers like me, & isn't taking on any new customers' 914s (otherwise I'd have recco'ed him on here when I joined in 2009 - & I'd asked him then, but he declined).

Cheers!
Tom
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I have a high torque that got kind of intermittently unreliable. I took it apart to figure out what was wrong with it. There was a spring loaded copper contact ring in it that had carbon arc debris or damage. I cleaned it up and its been working fine ever since. Not a very robust design in my opinion...if I didn't already have it I probably wouldn't buy one. The inside of it looked worn and it doesn't have all the much use on it.

Sounds like you have been getting crappy, cheap hi-torque starters. I have one on Betty's car that has been on there for over a decade, and it has been perfect. Spins the motor fast, and it cured the hot start problem.

I can't say the same for the factory rebuilt starters. Got three that failed within 3 months of installing them. That's why I tried the hi-torque one.

Never tried a new starter factory starter though, so I can't comment on them.

I think you are probably correct. Years ago you could by them on Ebay new for around $100. I think they are a Chinese copy of a higher quality starter. It does turn the car over well and it was cheap. Nice thing about a 914 is you can always push start it in a pinch.

double

The hi torque starters sold on ebay from the guy in Riverside California are done right. I had one and it worked great until I was trying to start my car one day and it tried to backfire while the starter was engage which shattered the gear on the starter. I put my stock back in and hated it because it would hardly turn it over when the engine was cold. After a few months I happened to leave the seller of the starter a message if I could buy a gear from him and he responded and said sure. Since he was close to me I went over to his shop and he asked me if I would like to just trade mine in for a new one for $50.00 and it would be a new more powerful one so I said sure. After I put it in and tried it, it made a big difference and I happy have it back. While I was there I told him that some people have been having trouble with these starters from another vender destroying their flywheels. He showed me on his the end of the gear on 1 side of the teeth is chamfered and that allows it to aline itself with the flywheel gear and if that's not done then that is why the flywheels get damaged.

Mine came from California but I don't remember where. I have read about the engagement problem but mine doesn't do that. If it ever stops working again I think parts are available. The contact ring is a common problem and I have seen those available as well as brushes.

Click to view attachment

Amazon lists it with no core charge!

I've put hi-torque starters on numerous occasions vehicles including my 914. Have never had issues with any of them.

the early 1.5 Bosch had a thin nose bushing - it cracked, & the result was a lot of chewed up ring gears -BTDT x2 - threads about this on Pelican

i have used the "official" IMI Hi Torq with great success, on Porsche 2.7, 3.2, and Chevy 454

if your guy want a later Bosch 3.2 & would consider "used" - i have one from an '89

My 914 starter is having a real struggle turning over my high compression 6 cylinder engine (mated to the OEM 901 gearbox). My flywheel has 130 teeth.

So I need to either get it rebuilt (not sure that will make it more powerful) or put on a more powerful starter. 928 V8 starter physically fits, has the grunt, but spins the wrong way.

Am thinking of a 911 starter as an alternative. Will a (say) 1989 911 starter physically fit, have the correct throw and have the right pinion for a 130 tooth 914 flywheel?

Or any other preferred option - that I can buy in Australia without expensive international freight costs.

Thanks

Dave

Buy the early 911 starter that was used with the 901 trans (up to 1972). The stock 914 starter is marginal in power. Had an engine with 9.0 to one CP and it barely turned it over. Find a used one there or get a used on rebuilt. Most commercial rebuilds are crap. Got to a shop that rebuilds your starter if needed.
Rebuilding the stock starter will not increase the power.