best and esiest upgrade i've done yet

[69heavychevy]

i just upgraded my old 100 pound! starter for one of a 94 and up 350. i just wanted to share it was well worth it. now matter which way i shimmed my old starter it always sounded like crap when starting up. i could wake up the whole neighborhood with that thing. after putting the new starter i started cursing thinking it hadnt worked, but it was just that i was so used to all the racket made by my old starter that i didnt even hear it. bolted right up (did have to get longer starter bolts), no shimming required, and quiet as a baby. cost:160 minus 40 for turning in my old one to upgrade (had an existing lifetime warranty), and 10% discount hehehe came out to 117. the part number is dlg9990s from autozone, 100% new not rebuilt. just wanted to share that bit of info for anyone interested.

[aboyer]

Just to confirm, you used a '94-Newer Chevy truck starter (350smallblock) and used this as your starter?

What is the main difference from the previous standard small block starter? Do you have a part number of the new starter from Autozone?

Thanks

Adam

[69heavychevy]

main difference is its half the size and weight, and there is no shimming required and looks like it might be a gear reduction starter correct me if im wrong please. and its very quiet in my opinion. the autzone part number is DLG9990s for a new one, or DL9990s for a rebuilt. FYI: just go with the new one and safe yourself the headaches of having to replace it with in a year(once if your lucky). you can just ask the parts counter person for a starter for a 94-99 chevy 1/2 ton with a 350 2wd.

[Ackattack]

Yeah, you have to tell them the year make model 2wd/4wd, if it has A/C and stuff there....they can't look it up otherwise

[Long Roof]

Hahahaha! Ackattack you sure are right about Autozone. I asked about some carb springs and they wanted to know all that stuff. I asked if they had a universal package and they looked at me like I had a third eyeball. Not exactly a bunch of motor heads working those counters

[69heavychevy]

yup thats corporate america for you, cut the quality of service and increase profits. make ceo's and shareholders happy, customers unhappy. if you have to go to twilight zone, always try to get the best they carry of a certain part, its well worth the price id put it right up there with napa. best=duralast gold. get the middle stuff if you dont plan to keep your vehicle over a year. middle stuff=duralast. unless your trying to sell your vehicle ASAP or its an emergency then at all cost avoid valucraft stuff. that stuff is junk. yea but i dont like to knock on their parts people because i've seen even dumber part people at dealerships.
e.g. chevy dealer: thank you for calling jupiter chevrolet how may i direct your call.
ME: parts please.
Parts Guy: parts, how can i help you.
ME: i need price and availability on a u-joint retainer kit for a 95 tahoe.
Parts Guy: please hold......5 min later. you said u-joint retainer kit?....
ME: yes.
Parts Guy: Please hold.....5 min later. i dont have that listed here, where does it go?
ME: nevermind.

called autozone and the girl on the phone gave me a price and availabilty right away.

[clay68c10]

I've started going to O'Reilly's since the guys there actually have and use the books.
I'm also running the factory mini gear reduction starter, it works like a champ on my 454. No heat soak and it doesn't draw much either.

[leddzepp]

I switched to a mini starter...it only weighs 8 lbs and works PERFECT everytime!

[AustinScott]

I have stopped going to AUTOJOKE, and go to O'Reilly's now, at our local store here, 2 of the guys behind the counter drive 69-71 chevy pickup's them selves & truly know how to turn a wrench & the parts are in stock & seem to be pretty good stuff.

I'm not sure what type of starter is in my truck, I think I will have to investigate, it is one of those things that works effortlessly every time you need it so I haven't given it much attention.
I guess i should follow the rule, "if it ain't broken, don't' try and fix it"

[69heavychevy]

well the o"reallys" around here arent any better. autozone is closer so i just go there. my starter worked good i just didnt like all the noise and other weird howlings it made. it just decided to try it since i helped my buddy put his starter on his 97 chevy, i was like "hmmm....i wonder if that will work on my truck???..."

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by 69heavychevy

well the o"reallys" around here arent any better. autozone is closer so i just go there. my starter worked good i just didnt like all the noise and other weird howlings it made. it just decided to try it since i helped my buddy put his starter on his 97 chevy, i was like "hmmm....i wonder if that will work on my truck???..."

Same here. Autozone and O'Reillys are both a joke, but Advance is better if the right people are there. Luckily for me, I worked at Advance from 93 - 96, so I just walk around the counter, look it up, and pull the parts if none of the car guys are there since they all know me. They all have the books, but very few of the employees can (or will) use them. We used to call and harrass the guys at Autozone sending them on wild goosechases for Corvair radiators and Chrome differential covers for 9" Ford rearends!

[69long"n"low]

theres 2 different starters that i know of theres a pg 200 and a pg 260 or at least ive had both in my truck the 260 is the better one just stuck one in my truck the 200 bit the dust

[basketcase]

You guys just need to learn to use the power of the internet. Every chain parts store has a web site where you can look up your own parts and even check to see if your local store stocks them. I always look up my parts before I go in and take the number with me. A call ahead to ask them to check if they have the number in stock can save you a lot of time and gas too. I have a profile with all of my cars listed at Autozone, Advanced and others. Then I don't have to go through the questions when I get there.

Also the terminology you use to describe a part and what it says in the parts computer may not be the same. Make sure the guy knows what you are asking for. GM usually does not sell parts grouped in kits. They sell each part individually but the guy should have known enough to ask if you meant u-bolts, straps, or bolts for the straps ect.

[chip46wis]

Did you want fries with that starter?

[Gray Ghost]

I've never been a fan of VatoZone. O'Reilly's is my first choice. 99% of my parts come from there, the other 1% from Napa when they are the only ones that have it.

[bretleg]

i work for O'Reilly's and i have to admit all the other O'Reilly's around us are horrible but still better then the auto zone down the street. who tells people to search for a rear transmission seal for a th350 on ebay? i was in shock because it was advance and autzone that said that to one of my regular customers.

[jayharrell]

I tried tracking down a spedo gear for a t400 a few weeks ago. Oreily and Vatozone looked at me like i was crazy, didn't even know what it was. All the real car guys at both placed have quit and moved to advanced. All three are on the same corner in my town. Called advanced, they didn't even bother looking it up, they knew it was a dealer item.

I think it doesn't matter the store, just the people working. Most of the time if the person that picks up the phone can't figure out what i need, i just call back in 5 or 10 minutes and get some one else.

This thread too a weird hop from starts.. lol love it

[jkaylor68gmc]

IS the late model starter a 153 tooth or 168 tooth????

[Ackattack]

We don't have O'riely's in WA, but I that was my first choice when I lived in KS. Now I just go to NAPA.

[BurnoutNova]

Originally Posted by 67_C-30

Same here. Autozone and O'Reillys are both a joke, but Advance is better if the right people are there. Luckily for me, I worked at Advance from 93 - 96, so I just walk around the counter, look it up, and pull the parts if none of the car guys are there since they all know me. They all have the books, but very few of the employees can (or will) use them. We used to call and harrass the guys at Autozone sending them on wild goosechases for Corvair radiators and Chrome differential covers for 9" Ford rearends!

i used to work at advance auto also, i loved it when people called in trying to mess with me, they ususally werent smart enough to keep the conversation going and just hung up on me. my favorite ones were the 83 corvette parts, and waterpumps for a vw beetle

[69heavychevy]

its a 168

[andrewt2]

Ill be very honest with you i work at a salvaged vehicle recycling center i suppose you can call it, where we deal very LITTLE with the individual public, most of my customers are body shops, mechanical garages dealerships used car dealers etc. these are the guys that spend 10,000 to 20,000 grand a month with me. Most of the time when i have guys wanting to stroll through my yard looking for parts i turn them away because my yard guys dont have time to baby sit them to make sure nothing gets damaged, Same goes with people hunting little misc. interior items. i tell them i dont have it most of the time. its not because i dont want to help them out, its more of a matter of if my boss saw me wasting my time and my parts pullers time to get every guy off the street a grey glove box latch for a 90 some blah blah that they dont want to pay more than 5 bucks for id be out of a job. I see both ends of the spectrum in the salvage business me being a car guy id love to help everyone that comes in but i honestly dont have the time... now with advance and oriellys thats another story most of them guys just dont want to get in the book and look on these older vehicles so they say they dont have it. i agree with what basketcase said, i use the internet and find my own part numbers on what i need so i know i get exactly what im after. Another thing is pretty much all parts guys hate it when you say. yeah i needa starter from oh i dont know say an 88 to oh idont know a 93 chevy celeberty.... tell them a specfic year to go off of.... most of the time the general public is not smarter than the interchange manuals provided by the computer.... just my honest opinions