The weather was warm enough today that I could finally install the mini-starter that I purchased back in December. My teener has been laid up since December 12th after the starter went out (again) on the trip to Phoenix for the Toys-for-Tots breakfast. It got so bad that I could not get the starter to crank even with the screwdriver trick!

I purchased my starter on eBay from Hi-Performance of America I have no connection with them other than being a satisfied customer.

One tricky part of the installation is that there is no notch for the upper bolt head to rest in so you have to reach over the tranny from the passenger side and position a wrench on the bolt head so that it won't fall off when you go back to the engine compartment to put on the nut.

The hardest part for me was that the connections end up on the top of the starter so the best way to access them is by reaching over the transmission from the passenger side. Since I've got a Bowlsby ignition wiring harness (that is pretty stiff) this proved to be fairly tricky. I almost thought I was going to have to choose between a starter connection or backup lights.

My fear in using this starter was that I'd heard that sometimes they need to be shimmed. I really didn't have the patience for that kind of job in winter weather. Fortunately, it worked like a charm on the very first attempt. WooHoo!

Now we'll see if indeed this solves the hot-start problem over the long haul as it is reputed to do. I sure hope so. I'm tired of being push-started at Red Rock Classic every year!! For now I'm just delighted to be driving the teener again!

I've attached a couple of photos to show the difference between the stock and mini starters.

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

Yep, I'm going to get me one of those starters...

Congrats.. you will love the new starter.


We have them on both 914s, the 1.8 and the six. We had a bad hot start problem with the 1.8 for years, and putting on the gear drive starter fixed it. It starts every time. Never had anything but the gear drive starter on the six, and I have never had a hot start problem, even after a hard run on a 100 degree day.

$119? I thought these nippon denso starters were going all day and night for $99?

$119 is the cheapest that I've ever seen. This is the vendor that also warranteed a starter for another poster with no questions asked (it turned out to need shimming). His feedback is about 99% positive. That's worth $10 to me.

Did you take your OLD starter seen in the photo off a 5 speed?

Yes, why?

why?
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=67518

thanks.
Mike Cooley

I must be missing something here...

The starter I pulled off is what is known as a "VW Bus Style" starter. There's nothing strange about it and it's commonly used. The real difference between it and the stock starter is that the stock starter has a shaft which is supported by a pilot bushing in the tranny case, while the Bus Style starter doesn't need that.

I've had the Bus Style starter on my son's 1975 Bus and at least 4 914-4s and also put in on my other son's 1965 bug (12v convert). My 73 is the first Type IV that I've had so many hot start problems with.

Edit:
Yes, this is also known as the "automatic tranny starter" starter. The manual transmission style is shown here:
Busdepot.com sells both styles of starter
Manual Transmission Style
Automatic Transmission Style

Nothing seen wrong with your post. I was just asking because the flaps were confusing me and saying the photos you posted, that I printed and took with me to show what starter I wanted should look like and they said it was for a 914 with an automatic tranny. They were wrong. not you.
Thanks for posting your post or I wouldn't have found the right starter without spending more bucks for shipping the same thing the FLAPS had from a vendor out of state.

Mike

You had me worried for a moment there! I'm glad it was helpful. Based on the testimony of others and my own limited experience I would spend the extra $30 and get the mini-starter. It seems well worth the extra money and $30 isn't that much when the problem starter is going for $90 anyway.

I finally fired up my car with the "ebay starter". It cranks faster and definitely has more power than my old stock starter. Upon releases the key when it motor doesn't catch I do hear a winding down higher pitch gear noise. Is this normal?

I read on here people have heard a "ping" type sound. How do I know if I need to shim the starter?

Thanks

Whine is normal. I had the ping noise, but it turned out to be bad battery cables. The start would come out and try to turn the engine but couldn't since the cables couldn't send the needed amps. Replaced cables, ping gone and everything works fine.