TR2/3/3A Correct Starter

[Skidude]

Need to either have my starter rebuilt - or purchase a new, high torque/gear reduction starter for my 59 TR3A - TS42469E.

My TS number is below the TS50001 engine number which uses a different starter that the cars after TS50001. I have no way on knowing what year my engine was manufactured (TS27693E). Some things in the care have been changed prior to my purchase of the car 14 years ago. Mainly it has an all syncro od transmission - guess from a TR4.

I want to make sure I order the correct starter. So - is there an easy way to know which starter I need?

Considering a British Starter from Classic Car Performance. Their starter has to option to bypass the built-in starter solenoid and continue using the starter solenoid mounted on the firewall. I like that option and the look of the original starter solenoid.

Opinions/Input?

 

[DavidApp]

Regarding the Solenoid. I used the original solenoid contacts to energize the high torque starter solenoid so the wiring looks and works as original. The starter power is jumpered through one of the original solenoid connections. Note the small red wire tie wrapped to the main power wire.

When I spoke to British Starters they wanted to know how many teeth were on my flywheel and maybe what my old starter looked like and from that they could tell what type of starter I needed. Your flywheel may have been changed along with the gearbox so the engine number may not be a good guide as to the starter.

David

 

[sp53]

Not sure either, but it would seem to me if your starter that you want to get rebuilt is a bomb shell/early type, you would need the early high torque. If your starter is the newer type with the exposed Bendix then you would need the later high torque. Having said that, it is still probably better to count the teeth on the flywheel.
steve

 

[Skidude]

Thanks for the advice guys - guess I need to crawl under the car and start counting.

 

[CJD]

Like you said, your car originally had the early short, or bomb nosed,starter. The later starter has the long nose with the fat spring on the drive shaft end. Your TR4 tranny can take either, since it has the relief for the ling nise version.

So...it totally depends on whether the PO doing your conversion teplaced or retained the original starter. The teeth on the flywheel are match to either the long or short nose.

The easiest tell is to pull the starter, since it has to come out anyway, and see if it is ling or short.