FleaBay mini starter motor?

[98 SNAKE EATER]

For the past week, my runner has been having some starter trouble :disgust:


It hits every time, but before the engine actually starts, the starter sings away as if the flexplate has missing teeth.


Earlier today, I just barely got her running by bumping the timing up (MSD timing knob) and she was able to start on a short blip, but it put quite a load on the starter


I have yet to put her up on my lift to check her out, but I'm already looking into starter options.


According to the paperwork I got from the PO, she currently has a PowerMaster Mastertorque 9613


How do the FleaBay mini starters at over $100 bucks cheaper stack up?

 

[69a100]

You'd be $$ ahead by just going to the boneyard for a mini. I have 2 BY mini's that have been trouble free for over 10 years each and still going strong.

 

[A383Wing]

go to auto part store and get one with a warranty. Ask for a starter for a 94 Dakota with V6 or V8

it's the same starter

 

[vanrj1]

go to auto part store and get one with a warranty. Ask for a starter for a 94 Dakota with V6 or V8

it's the same starter

That's what I got for mine!

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

go to auto part store and get one with a warranty. Ask for a starter for a 94 Dakota with V6 or V8

it's the same starter

Thanks for the tip

VatoZone has one with lifetime warranty for $67 bucks

Hmm, I wonder how much the core charge will be (I'd rather not give up my current one and just rebuild it)

 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Chinese parts........ warranty yes.... but how many times u want to swap it out.... ??

 

[A383Wing]

I have never had to change any of mine out...any starter you get now-a-days anyway is gonna be a crap shoot....

you may have to re-route your main positive battery cable so it reaches the starter lug...and it's gonna be close to the block...but these little starters have more "spin" to them than the originals

you are not gonna "rebuild" yer original starter...and they probably won't accept it as a core for the mini starter...

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

you are not gonna "rebuild" yer original starter...and they probably won't accept it as a core for the mini starter...

1) Why not?

2) It is a mini starter

 

[Dako]

They should accept it, should you use it as a core. The 'Zone' here took my original 'football' starter as a core...no questions asked.

 

[A383Wing]

2) It is a mini starter

you didn't say your original starter in your car was a mini starter...all of our cars "originally" came with the larger style starter..so it's been changed before sometime in it's life. So turn it in as a core and get a new one

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

you didn't say your original starter in your car was a mini starter...all of our cars "originally" came with the larger style starter..so it's been changed before sometime in it's life. So turn it in as a core and get a new one

I never said it had the "original" starter, but I did mention what she has currently....

According to the paperwork I got from the PO, she currently has a PowerMaster Mastertorque 9613

That being said, I'd still like to rebuild it if in fact the clutch is the only problem.

PowerMaster claims their goods are made in the USA (not sure where the DuraLast stuff is made), plus it looks brand new and came with a nifty dyno sheet

 

[kb67mopar]

go to auto part store and get one with a warranty. Ask for a starter for a 94 Dakota with V6 or V8

it's the same starter

I have one for sale that works well. Was from a 98 dakota. Selling for the price of the core at $45

 

[Budnicks]

I have never had to change any of mine out...any starter you get now-a-days anyway is gonna be a crap shoot....

you may have to re-route your main positive battery cable so it reaches the starter lug...and it's gonna be close to the block...but these little starters have more "spin" to them than the originals

you are not gonna "rebuild" yer original starter...and they probably won't accept it as a core for the mini starter...

Yeah I had to shorten the stud...

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Buy a Mopar starter, you will be money ahead of the outsourced crap

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

OK, just put her on my lift and the gears are engaging fine, but just sings away after making a few revs, so the clutch is gone

Got a Dakota starter coming in today from VatoZone

That being said, it looks like it's gunna be a chore to get out

I've got Hooker Super Comps and although it appears I have good access to the nuts (looks to be studded), it doesn't looks like there's much room to get it past the header without a lot of finagling :confused:

Before I get started, is this even possible or will I have to pull the header?

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I have one for sale that works well. Was from a 98 dakota. Selling for the price of the core at $45

What's the difference between the 94 and the 98?

VatoZone lists the 98 at $95 bucks vs the 94 at $67 :confused:

 

[Budnicks]

any of the mini starters from any year of the V8 Magnum 5.2ltr./318ci or 5.9ltr./360ci 2wd or 4wd Dakota's or Durango's {probably the Ram 1500 too} up-to 2001 I think it is, when they went to 4.7ltr, will/should work

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you will probably need to pull the header or at-least loosen it up, really depending on how much it captures the original starter, how close to the torsion bar the headers or wiring even are... the new starter will also be smaller & less prone to heat soak/saturation issues too

 

[kb67mopar]

any of the mini starters from any year of the V8 Magnum 5.2ltr./318ci or 5.9ltr./360ci 2wd or 4wd Dakota's or Durango's {probably the Ram 1500 too} up-to 2001 I think it is, when they went to 4.7ltr, will/should work

- - - Updated - - -

you will probably need to pull the header or at-least loosen it up, really depending on how much it captures the original starter, how close to the torsion bar the headers or wiring even are... the new starter will also be smaller & less prone to heat soak/saturation issues too

The 5.7 hemi starter will work too, the dakota starter I have will interchange and start my hemi (I did it). I would venture a guess the 4.7 uses the same starter.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Here's what I pulled out

The header definitely had to be loosened up.


I did a random search on VatoZonePro and although the Dakota/Durango starters look alike, they're priced differently throughout the years....


94 Dakota $67 bucks


98 Dakota $95 bucks


99 Durango $102 bucks


All Duralast Import w/Lifetime Warranty


I see minor size differences in the cases, but all either look the same or smaller than what I have, so at least I know whatever I get will fit, but why the price difference :confused:


Another question....


Which model engine from that era had the highest compression?


Just wanna do a quick search based on that and see if it comes up with different part numbers

 

[kb67mopar]

Not sure. 318 and 3.9 should be the same compression wise. Probably the hemi. But that's a $100+ starter too. My 98 starter looks much like the one you pulled. Somewhere on here I have pics in a for sale thread but on my phone I can't find it quick

 

[MarPar]

Somewhere on here I have pics in a for sale thread but on my phone I can't find it quick

got your back, KB. :headbang:

View attachment 133042

 

[red 69 runner]

duralst is made in mexico

I never said it had the "original" starter, but I did mention what she has currently....




That being said, I'd still like to rebuild it if in fact the clutch is the only problem.

PowerMaster claims their goods are made in the USA (not sure where the DuraLast stuff is made), plus it looks brand new and came with a nifty dyno sheet