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Gear Reduction Starters Success

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Gary Pope

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I have been running the car with one of those nifty gear reduction starters for about six months now. It has been an absolutely superb investment and am highly recommending them. The car starting has been 100% every time .. it even looks good when you look at installed.

It took at lot of guts for me to spend $250 on a starter, but having a reliable starter in my opinion is worth the money.

Just thought I would share ..
 
Glad it worked out for you. I keep looking in the adds for gear reduction starters for TR-7s, but evidently I don't need one as they aren't available. I am curious as to just what gear reduction means. Does the engine turn at a slower cranking speed? If so, how does that help starting? Is the starter motor itself heavier duty or wound differently? Just curiuos. My 7 has a Mitsubishi starter that replaces the original Lucas and it has been very reliable and has not shown any signs of rejecting the car due to a poor tissue match.
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Gear reduction starters work with electric motors turning higher rpms, the gears act as a torque multiplier. This menas that with the same, or close to the same draw, the starter motor turns the flywheel at the same rpm, with more available torque.

Tony
 
GR starters offer a nice weight reduction, since you don't have to carry a hammer in the trunk to bang on the starter.
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Dale: tell us more about your Mitsu starter swap...direct bolt in? Wonder if this would work on other Brit cars? (I already have a Mitsu alternator).

[ 01-09-2003: Message edited by: aeronca65t ]</p>
 
I probably spoke out of turn on this as the starter was on the car when I got it and to be honest I don't recall the brand for certain though it is definatly Japanese. I'll have to look again to make sure. When I did the engine rebuild I thought that the starter was needing attention so I took it to a local starter generator guy and he said to rebuild it would not be practical and called around for as replacement. The best price for a starter for a TR-7 was Checker Auto around $118.00 as I recall and it was a Hitachi or whatever brand that I had. Well as it turned out I didn't need a starter, so the one the car came to me with is still on there and still working very reliably though occasionally it takes two stabs to get it to kick in and crank the engine. I doubt that this starter would work on any other LBC as the 7 is the only one that uses this slant four Dolomite whatsit lump. It was interesting to find that Checker Auto listed a starter for any Triumph even if they did have to order it. I'm still a little envious of you that can use the trick stuff. Gear reduction starter has such a racy ring to it.
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I have a nissan starter in the Lotus, not a gaer reduction, but it's a push out bendix nestled in a nice cast cone, unlike the pull in bendix on the stock starter which has no support on the end and wobbles like a drunk walking on cobblestones when it is engaged.

It works very well, without the awful noise I was used to that sounded like the flywheel teeth being ground off. The starter uses an adapter to bolt it to the ford bellhousing, which replaces the stock mount adapter for the Nissan. Someone I knew made a bunch of the adapters and I managed to get a few complete units..
 
Dale you ol sock! How goes it?? I am courious about the 7 starter as it seemed to me that this was the most reliable part of the whole car. In fact the same starter was put right onto the tr8(with an adaptor) and still spun the rover over!!If you ever want to go back stock there are lots of them around.
MD(mad dog)
 
Hi Guy!
I'm curious too as to why this starter is on there, but I would guess even a rebuilt original would cost more than the japanese replacement. Wish I could remember more of what was on the label but I'd guess it's a common starter that just happens to bolt up to the TR-7. I think VB and others list 2 starters available, an original and this one. Anyway this one is working good so far and is getting daily use what with my chasing job leads all over. Y'all take care.
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Hi guys. I'll add my two cents worth if you don't mind. We've not put on any of the gear reduction starters yet. I found a company that rebuilds triumph starters and does a superb job. Where most companies try to keep their returns to under 10%, this company keeps theirs at under 1%,and at a decent price too. Altho I had to wait on the last one for them to build it[tr4], they are definitely worth it. Bob
 
Hello Bob!
Does your guy do the TR-7 starter? If so, I will have to get in touch with you when I need one. Not to do an inside job on these forum folks but did you catch the outstanding 7 on the cover of the latest Triumph Herald?(the newsletter of the Rocky Mtn. Triumph Club)
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Wouldn't you know. First thing this AM I got e-mail from E-bay about a new item from British Starters. A HD gear reduction starter for TR-7s. $189.00 is the buy now price which if it's as good as they say it is would be a good deal. So no sooner asked than done. Now when I need a starter I can get the trick stuff.
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Hello Dale. I have'nt tried to get a tr7 starteryet; as we have just been getting ones for the 3'& 4's. If they don't have one you can send your old one in and they will rebuild it for you. I had to do that with the last one I got. Not much demand for tr4 starters. Surprise, surprise! Are you still losing water out of your 7? Bob
 
Minimal coolant loss if any. But since ambient temps aren't over 50 degrees the thing doesn't get as hot as it had been. Temp gauge hasn't been to the 1/2 way mark since October and then only coming back from Gallup. When it does get up near there it will sometimes put some coolant in the recovery bottle, but I just transfer it back to the header tank when it cools with the little stopper hose gadget I made. The low coolant level light seems to be temp sensitive as it doesn't go off 'til the thermostat opens even when the header tank is clear full. All in all the little beauty just hums right along using no oil and little gas which is a good thing as I'm unemployed and broke and job hunting. It is defrosting better now that I started paying attention to the instructions embossed on the control panel and using the max or recirc positions.
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I know it's a big expense but the HD starter will be the last starter you ever buy for the car. I also forgot to mention that because of the smaller dimensions of the starter, it gives you more room to get custom headers mounted without having to take starter out etc. My Pacesetters wouldnt have gone in with the old starter in place.
 
My only problem is that the teeth don't always engage with the flywheel. The orig ring gear had a bevel on it but the new starter goes in from the other side. Maybe my spacer is too thick. any ideas??
 
I never have that problem, it's a good positive connection on the gears. I don't believe I have any kind of spacer installed. The unit just bolted right up to the casting.
 
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