Best place to buy Starter/Alt. that are good quality but not top price?

Is that even possible? I used to work at Autozone back in college, we'd get returns on the elec. stuff all the time. Sure you got a warranty, but it gets old real quick trading that stuff out. Anyway its probably better now, who knows.

So my question is, I'm dropping a new engine in my car, and while I'm there I should man up and get a new starter/alt. Where can I get a good one at a reasonable price? I don't want to spend $300, but I'm not necessarily looking for a $75 Autozone rebuilt either.

Can anybody suggest a place with a decent product at a reasonable price?

It's for a Chevy 350.

Thanks in advance

 

Beats me, I had a Pep Boys alternator on one car, no problems, my sister had an Advanced Auto.. or maybe it was still Western Auto then.. starter on a truck with a 305 Chevy in it and it was fine until she wrecked it on black ice one day... maybe that stuff is luck of the draw.

Probably the trick is to buy one that's brand new, not rebuilt, or have a local outfit that does rebuilds do your existing one. I just buy that stuff used at the junkyard usually, unless it's for a nice car.

 

I'd try and find a good rebuilder. There is a local guy (yeah alot of good that does you) that rebuilt the starter on my 54 Chevy for $60. Better than new.

Warranties it for a year. He's been doing it for 30 years and knows what he is doing. There has to be someone like that out there.

 

i've had very good luck with Napa rebuilt parts. if there is a choice i always get the lifetime warranty

 

I agree... If you have the pieces, find a local rebuilder. Look under "automotive electric" in the phone book.

My guy did my last starter and freshened the Alt for $40, blasted the cases and let me paint them before he got it all back together.

 

Ask around for a local rebuilder. They have to earn their rep on quality and not mass marketing. The starter went out on my Stude motor. Autozone probably doesn't even know what that is. I started to tell them not to paint it because I wanted to do a better job. I was shocked at how much attention to detail that they took. They rebuilt it and changed the windings over to 12V for 130 bucks. There are still guys that care out there. Ask at some independent repair shops. They will know who does a good job locally.

 

Jeebus...I just called the local electrical guy I've used before....$280 to rebuild the starter and alternator...I actually called him back to make sure I heard him right. This is a place in the hood where nobody speaks english, no less. At least they were cheaper for the other OT stuff I had done!

It kills me to consider using autozone, I wanna believe there's some old guy in a shop I can get to do it locally that will do a better job...but heck, the all new starter from autozone is $70 and I can get it within a few days
http://www.autozone.com/sku,600725/...02/store,5434/shopping/partProductDetail2.htm

dunno if its any good or not tho :-/

EDIT: I guess I could understand $140 ea. to rebuild a starter/alt if they were some off brand or custom job, but these are regular 'ol chevy parts that I just thought I'd get new/rebuilt for better reliability while I'm there...Grrrrrr...

I'm torn between cheapness and desire for something shiny

 

You know what.... ask around and find out who rebuilds the city elec components. That's one of the things my guy does. Cop cars, plow trucks, post office shit...

Maybe try to get on the phone with the maintenance dept at the cop shop, or maybe call the local fire department! They probably know exactly who to go to. Just be straight forward with them and you might get the city's best kept greybeard secret.

 

I'd go for the rebuild shop, although for a regular Chev starter I'd probably go online at www.partsamerica.com and buy the lifetime starter and pick it up at Schucks, Kragon or Checker depending on your area. Not that spendy and they back them up.
These are the guys who rebuild what I can't do myself an sell me electrical parts at a fair price. http://www.smithae.com/ They are in Yakima, Wa but do work for people all over via the brown truck. And the owner is a car guy.

If your starter isn't fryed, you can get brushs, bushings and a drive at NAPA for a reasonable price. You can find the part numbers on www.napaonline.com

 

I use local rebuilder for all this kind of stuff. Also you get your part back, no telling
where the core came from at Autozone etc. Cheaper and never had a problem,
have to wait couple of days however. Bob

 

Genuine AC Delco rebuilds tend to be of better quality than a lot of the parts store rebuilds...they actually replace things like the copper strikers rather than just flip it over 180 deg. Or at least that used to be the case. They are more pricey than a AutoZone low-end rebuild, and that's why. Beyond that, NAPA, since the local guys are too much $$.

RockAuto.com is also your friend.

 

Personally I wouldn't buy a rebuilt part just to replace a good working part. Especially Chevy parts. Anybody anywhere will have them in stock.

It's not like you will get stranded. I replaced my Chevy starter in the snow in Atlantic city. I had to walk 4 blocks to find one. Fortunately it was a 4X4 and I didn't need a jack. The guy in the little parking lot booth let me warm up when my fingers quit working.

I needed a starter motor for my FE Ford. I didn't have one. I got one from Ebay for 30 bucks. 20 bucks and 10 dollars shipping with no core required. An old unsold rebuilt unit. It's beautiful inside. It had a tag...59.00 exchange.

 

OK so I called a few other places that were recommended...wow Franco's really wanted to charge me a gringo tax....the other places are $53 for a starter and $38 for an alternator...that's more like it...it's not like it's a Saab or a Range Rover or anything, jeesh...

Funny thing is, when I asked the guy at Certified if I should buy his or a new one from Autozone for 70 bucks, he said theirs was a good deal cuz of lifetime warr and his was just 1 yr. I was like, do you guys use better parts or something maybe? trying to get him to sell me, and he said "believe me, we all use the same parts" Go figure.

Believe me, I know it's an extravagance to replace a working part with rebuilt, it kinda kills me due to my natural cheapness tendencies, but my friend has convinced me since I don't know the origin of what I have now, it can't hurt to take care of all of it at once.

 

Easy to rebuild these yourself.

 

best warranty, fastest shipping and they have chrome - www.db-starter-alternator.com Just got a chrome 1 wire 105 amp gm alternator from them for $59. They are very reasonable.

 

OReilly Auto Parts has excellent quality parts at very reasonable prices.

 

I don't know about starter prices, but I sure know how to ship them. Flat Rate Priority mail boxes are free and you can ship a starter or generator coast to coast and any place in between for $8.95.

 

That's the same thing my greybeard would say... but he'll throw it on the bench and show me what's wrong with it when it goes down. Then he'll replace the 3 dollar part, charge me 5 bucks labor and offer me a doughnut. I don't blame you for getting a new part, but make sure to keep your eyes open for someone better for the future. Those things always go bad before anything else.

 

Thanks you guys! Lotta great suggestions, I never woulda thought of finding where the city gets theirs done, or that they'd fit in a flat rate box!!! hehe

I ended up springing 60 or 70 for the new starter, $15 for autozones fanciest solenoid, and I'm gonna ponny up $30 for the solenoid relocation kit (prevent heat soak)by mad enterprises.
http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/st-1.shtml

The alt I'm gonna wait on till I get my new engine in and brackets and everything sorted out. Then I'll probably get an $85 3 wire from autozone, not the best, not the cheapest. But man does a $38 locally rebuilt one sound reasonable!!!

Thanks for the heads up on all the different places that sell good quality parts. There's nothing better than a personal recommendation based on experience for this stuff, cuz otherwise what do you base a choice on?!? I'm not gonna pull any apart and inspect for QC hehe

 

Did you actually get ahold of someone at madelectrical? I've tried off and on for a couple of years with no success.

 

Ahahahaha funny you should say that! No, I *didn't* get ahold of anybody, even though I called during business hours. My friend bought their kit though, so somebody answered within the last few months. Yeah the no-online ordering or email is really lame. I could go with a different outfit for it but they seem real cool and I like their tech section. Hopefully I'll catch them next week.

 

I agree with your comment on their tech. Were it not for their website I probably wouldn't have known what or how to wire my alternator.
It looks like you could use any Ford type solenoid from any parts store and wire that without their kit. All they've done is interrupted the cable to the starter solenoid with another solenoid eliminating a constant hot feed to the GM solenoid...Basicly a solenoid energizing a solenoid.

 

I'd prefer to buy the kit from madelectrical because the guy sounds like a character. No email, no online ordering, and never answering the phone makes it kinda tough to buy one though.

EDIT: shoot, here's one at summit for $24.95
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SUM%2DG1750&N=700+0&autoview=sku

http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/st-1.shtml

a real nice article on hooking up a solenoid:
http://novaresource.org/starter.htm

Here's one guy's way:
http://www.oldengine.org/unfaq/solenoid.htm

start em solenoid diagram
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/148_0312_chevrolet_no_start_fix/photo_07.html

Oh FWIW I had a hot start prob, threw time and money at it till I showed it to an old guy that listened to it crank and knew 2 seconds later it was a timing issue. The dang dist. clamp was no bueno, had to be replace cuz it wouldn't tighten. $10 later it starts fine.
You all probably knew that about the timing, but it was news to me

 

call phil @ southeastern starter altenator shop , baxley , ga 912-367-4370 he got everything and does it right not cheap not expensive and he can rebuild old odd stuff too tel them ems auto sent you

 

I just came across this, thought I'd post a quick update.

I ended up getting an alternator at Autobone for around $60 , their premium re-manufactured.

Now that I've read up on their disassembly, I think I could rebuild one pretty darn cheap and it'll probably work better than one you buy at the Bone.

My starter was great, too bad, I had to change flywheels so I went with a mini starter from DB electrical. They forgot to include the bolts/shims in the kit, but UPSd me replacementns immediately when I emailed them and told them the problem.

So far I can't get the dang thing to work right, I'm getting the worst screech, but I didn't have the right bolts/shims/etc so hopefully I have a better chance now.

And I *never* got ahold of MAD Electrical. I just bought a ford solenoid for $15 at the Bone and wired it up, wasn't a big deal at all, and I'm really glad I did it. I *hate* fooling with the wiring on starter solenoids, so I love that it's all on the firewall now.

 

I'll second that! the guys at db make a great product and are really nice to deal with,I got my alternator and mini-starter from them and they don't rip ya on shipping.

 

The guy that owns MAD electrical has had some health issues,read about it on hotrodders.com, so has been out of commission on and off.

 

Thanks Jeff!

Yeah I was really impressed that DB electrical sent that out to me right away no questions asked....everybody makes mistakes, it's what you do next that shows integrity, IMHO, and they stood up to the test.

I'm really sorry to hear taht about teh owner of MAD. I never talked to him or anything but I heard he was getting up there, and people always say good things about him. I'll keep him in my prayers. I was afraid he was in ill health.

 

make sure you check your parts from autozone i have had 2 alt. that were locked up right out of the box and other ones that didnt put out any voltage id make them test them on their machine before you even buy it so you know its good

 

Rottenrod that is good advice!!!

I used to work there in college back in teh day and the return rate was pretty henous for the rebuilds.

I hated to get a rebuilt alt for just that reason but I just didn't have time to order one that was all new