S12 Starter Not Working on My CA18

[cbh148]

So my OEM starter has been acting up on me. Every now and then, it just clicks and doesn't spin the engine over. A good whack with a wrench (on the solenoid) always remedies it temporarily.

So I went to get a new one. I got a RockAuto 16774 starter for a 1986 Nissan 200sx (turbo/nonturbo had the same selection of starters), which is direct-drive. It was only $23!

I swapped it in, and it just clicks and thunks like it's trying to spin the engine but can't. I figure it's because of the new RockAuto starter being an 8 tooth gear, and my old OEM starter (Mitsubishi) being a 10 tooth, but I'm not sure if this is the problem. It bolted in fine though.

Also worth mentioning, my buddy in town (and on this board) CollinK bought an Autozone starter for his ca18det. Same exact part number (16744) as the RockAuto one I bought. Looks identical on Autozone's pictures too. Autozone's website says theirs is 8 tooth, just like my RockAuto.

I took my Rockauto starter to Autozone to have it tested, and it passed. I even used my buddy's phone number and warranty to exchange my RockAuto starter for a brand new Autozone starter (which will likely be identical) and they gave me $5 for a core charge or change in price or something.

What gives???

Here's my old OEM (Mitsubishi) vs the RockAuto 16744

[boost_boy]

The diameter of the gears are different and looks the gears are cut differentky (in different directions). I guess they are different

[Sideways s12]

Mine was the same way i returned it to.checker (schucks cragen) & had them rebuild mine for 60 bucks and it works like new even looks like a brand new starter.....

[Sideways s12]

I should be more clear the starter i bought i returned and i brought them my bad ca starter and they rebuilt it for 60 bucks.

[Sideways s12]

Also by the looms of it the det starter looks a slight bit taller than the 200sx one not sure.if that has anything to.do.with it....

[float_6969]

Are you sure that you don't have an electrical problem? The other option is to get your starter rebuilt locally. It would be nice if you figure this out though, as I would like to update the PN list if this doesn't work.

[cbh148]

pretty sure it's not an electrical problem since one good wrench-whack works every time.

also, i realize i completely forgot to mention, but my buddy who bought an s12 starter from Autozone had zero problems. his worked flawlessly.

Autozone ordered me one as well, and it'll be in tomorrow, so I'll be sure and let you guys know how it goes! wish me luck

[cbh148]

Picked up my new Duralast 16744 starter just now from Autozone, and sure enough, it looks identical to the Rockauto 16744 that I just returned.

It came attached with a technical bulletin detailing the 2 different kinds of starters that Nissan used (Mitsubishi and Hitachi). I called the service hotline provided to see if the 8-tooth vs 10-tooth difference would cause me an issue, but to my surprise, the Mitsubishi starter for the s12 200sx is actually an 8 tooth as well (unlike my Mitsubishi's 10 tooth gear), so most likely, this new starter will have the same exact issue as the other brand new one that I just returned.

[chalander]

Just a bit of information that may or may not be of use to you... When I had a bad ground (the ground to my CAS) my starter didnt have enough power to turn over. On my vehicle the volts would drop to 7-8 when the starter wouldn't turn over. Now since I have fixed the problem my volts only drop to about 10-11. Maybe you should try to measure the voltage to rule out the possibility of an electrical problem, or as in my case, a voltage drop.

Good luck, keep us posted on your troubleshooting results.

[Sideways s12]

Save yourself the headache and just have to stock one rebuilt....

[cbh148]

it worked! the autozone starter for a 1986 Nissan 200sx (direct drive) worked! so happy!

[Sideways s12]

And the part numbers are the same?

[float_6969]

Yea, that doesn't make sense, unless the Rock Auto one was just bad? Please detail the whole thing for us again, because I'm not sure what's different between the two that one didn't work, but tested OK, and the other on did work.

[cbh148]

It doesn't make sense to me either, but I'll give you guys the rundown again.

ok, so i bought a starter on Rockauto for a 1986 Nissan 200sx (direct drive) and it wouldn't work. it did, however, test to be a good starter.

the Rockauto starter looked identical to the Autozone starter that i exchanged it for. same part number, same number of teeth on the gear, same everything. for whatever reason, the Autozone starter (aka Duralast) worked perfectly. part number 16744.

[Sideways s12]

Odd but hey as long as it works....

[float_6969]

Yea, that's odd. I'm going to guess the issue was a fluke.

[cbh148]

Yeah it's still got me puzzled, but I'm so glad that it works that I ain't even mad.

Pic related.

[Sideways s12]

lol

[float_6969]

lmao!

[r34 gtr]

Hey, did I see your car up at Monte Sano state park last Friday?

[cbh148]

Yup! went up there with a buddy to play some disc golf.

not even gonna lie, i slid that hairpin turn on the way down (the one near the lower trail entrance). it was all clear, and there was a dude that had just put his mountain bike on top of his car, and was just staring at us -- no smile or reaction at all. i killed that corner. i thought maybe he was pissed, but right as i changed gears and sounded the BOV as i passed him, he threw up the horns.

[Sideways s12]

f*** awesome!

[r34 gtr]

Thought that was you. I creeped by (e.g. wheelied like a boss) and checked the car out on my way back from riding my bike. Looking pretty good!

And don't worry about that turn. Its almost impossible NOT to slide around it, what with all the gravel on the inside lane. You could slide that sh*t with a razor scooter. Most mountain bikers here know whats up (especially the ones cutting out of work to go on Friday afternoon). I would have been more surprised if he DIDN'T throw up the horns.

Satan, patron saint of all things two wheel-related.

[cbh148]

Satan, patron saint of all things two wheel-related.

^^^Why isn't this a helmet sticker?!

I've been riding some of the trails here at Auburn over at Chewacla. So glad there's a nice, convenient state park down here just like Monte Sano is back in Huntsville.

I need to stop by your place again sometime soon to see what's up, and maybe buy some ca18 crap from you. My drift car has ended up serving as a daily driver since, every time I go to Huntsville, we always end up having some Saturday night street drift sessions -- so I can't show up in the Civic for that or I'll get duct-tape'd to a telephone pole lol. It's just weird (and kinda sketchy) to be driving this hodgepodge, beat up, welded-diff, bald tire (typically lol), drift skank up and down the state of Alabama all the time.