I am on #3 first one died at 90k the next one died 10k later and this one is starting to grind and I installed it a week ago? the last two are Kragen starters. I just found out about the 10 tooth starter through a search. so I did not count them.

am I just getting crappy rebuilds or is there something else up?

Hate to say it but my 87 jeep cherokee with 200k has given me less troubles in the last 60k than the 97 max with 100k in the last 20k

 

btw the battery is a year old.

 

Need a better part source. Try places that rebuild starter and alternator only. Or suck it up and buy an OEM.

 

You should only be using the upgraded 10 tooth starters...The other 8 tooth modle I dont even think they make any more, will prob grinde earlier...they used the 8 tooth up until 96 and then in 97 Nissan switched to 10 tooth...better..but you have a 97 so ?? I dont know

-Matt

 

Check the wires that connect to the starter... make sure they are not corroded or and firmly connected.

 

How do you know if your MAX is hungry and starts eating on your starter in the first place ? Question: Is it possible that your Max is eating your starter when each time you crank it, especially in the morning you hear a " Quick & Short Drilling Noise "? I have noticed for the past 6 months 71.3 % of the time on start ups. I hear such a noise. I saw this post and was curious..any clues ?

 

Check the condition of the teeth on your flywheel. If there damaged from previous grinding starters, then thats what's eating your starters.

 

njmaxseltd, the teeth on all of the starters have looked fine, the teeth on the part of the flywheel I could see looked fine.


Grand Nagus Zek, get your battery checked, since it happens after the car sits for awhile, that implies the battery, however if your battery checks out, start looking at replacing that starter.

nadir_s wires are all good, I even took the jumper cables strait to the last starter and nothing, it barely turned on Kragens test stand.

1MAX2NV I am affraid you might be right or just keep swapping the starter everytime I change the oil

 

definately get one that has a lifetime warranty...HA...autozone for $140.....

the 8 and 10 tooth issue is tough....the starter i bought had a slip in the box saying..."you may have 10 or 8 teeth on the starter, both fit"...blah blah blah....I asked the guy behind the counter to run the part number for a 98 instead of a 96 and the computer brought up the same part...so, unless the store has more than one on the shelf to look through...its the luck of the draw as to what was "rebuilt"

 

A long time ago a good mechanic told me, when having starter problems, either get the original starter rebuild (cheaper option), or get a brand new one from the dealer. Through the years I followed the advice by getting my originals rebuilt and never had a problem.

That was until I got a used Toyota Celica with starter problems. I took it in and had it rebuilt and still had problems. Turned out whoever had the Celica before me had put the wrong rebuild with non tapered teeth. Once I got that corrected, no more problems.

I suspect the starters you have tried are not matching up correctly with the flywheel.

Let us know how you fix it.