Another new part bad out of the box

[c9zx]

The starter on my 1969 Cougar decided to go bad sitting in the driveway. Searched over a dozen parts stores near me. I finally found one for a standard shift about 10 miles away. I got out the jack stands and floor jack, something I am loath to do these days, and installed the new starter. Still no crank. Back to the store. It tests bad, trying to draw 220 Amps. No other starter until Monday. So the car sits jacked up until then. A similar thing happen 6 months ago with an alternator for a 2017 Mustang. Two new but bad fuel sending units for the Cougar two years ago. That doesn't include the junk reproduction parts that seem to have doubled in price. It seems to be getting much worse with everything I buy. Maybe it is just me. End rant. Chuck

 

[will e]

If the parts store isn't busy I have them do a bench test on those types of parts (Batteries, starters, alternators)

 

[c9zx]

Good idea Will. The same thing dawned on me the second trip to the store. Chuck

 

[71ProjectJunk]

It seems that we are all in the same boat, quality controls has gone by the wayside...

 

[Mike King]

It seems that we are all in the same boat, quality controls has gone by the wayside...

Ain't that the truth. It's the same everywhere and for all makes and models unfortunately. A lot of issues can be traced to the manufacturing country of origin.

 

[droptop73]

I use these guys, very satisfied with what I've bought.

https://www.dbelectrical.com/search...nMPhkZibWMtueMZK3VwaAk-bEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[piper62j]

I have had quite a bit of problems with replacement and rebuilt parts over the past few years. Most new parts are made in China and give great warranties, but are basically junk. They advertise made to oem specs, but they are not.. The Chinese cannot convert American specs correctly, so it results in inaccurate dimensions. The quality of the rubber, metal and engineering is sub standard. Rebuilt parts are worse because the parts used to rebuild the items are substandard.. It all goes to a total lack of quality from the information provided to the material used in the finished product..

Towards the end of my automotive career, I would only install OEM parts.. They cost more, but failure rate was extremely low.. We saved on comebacks and the lost revenue on doing the job over again.

 

[jpaz]

I just looked at the DB Electrical site and they don’t go back to 72 for a starter. They start at year 74.

 

[machcrazy]

The starter on my 1969 Cougar decided to go bad sitting in the driveway. Searched over a dozen parts stores near me. I finally found one for a standard shift about 10 miles away. I got out the jack stands and floor jack, something I am loath to do these days, and installed the new starter. Still no crank. Back to the store. It tests bad, trying to draw 220 Amps. No other starter until Monday. So the car sits jacked up until then. A similar thing happen 6 months ago with an alternator for a 2017 Mustang. Two new but bad fuel sending units for the Cougar two years ago. That doesn't include the junk reproduction parts that seem to have doubled in price. It seems to be getting much worse with everything I buy. Maybe it is just me. End rant. Chuck

Bosch makes a good starter. Try summit auto

 

[tony-muscle]

I just looked at the DB Electrical site and they don’t go back to 72 for a starter. They start at year 74.

This is what I got for mine.
https://www.amazon.com/DB-Electrical-SFD0001-Starter-Thunderbird/dp/B007Y86938

 

[c9zx]

Piper said: "Towards the end of my automotive career, I would only install OEM parts.. They cost more, but failure rate was extremely low.. We saved on comebacks and the lost revenue on doing the job over again." I maintain my newer Ford Vehicles with mostly Motorcraft parts. However, the quality and reliability of some parts has declined since Ford started sourcing some parts from China beginning in 2005. The world needs to acknowledge the many threats coming from the CCP. It has taken a war to convince the western world that Russia is a clear and present danger. Chuck

 

[markafss]

The starter on my 1969 Cougar decided to go bad sitting in the driveway. Searched over a dozen parts stores near me. I finally found one for a standard shift about 10 miles away. I got out the jack stands and floor jack, something I am loath to do these days, and installed the new starter. Still no crank. Back to the store. It tests bad, trying to draw 220 Amps. No other starter until Monday. So the car sits jacked up until then. A similar thing happen 6 months ago with an alternator for a 2017 Mustang. Two new but bad fuel sending units for the Cougar two years ago. That doesn't include the junk reproduction parts that seem to have doubled in price. It seems to be getting much worse with everything I buy. Maybe it is just me. End rant. Chuck

I’ve had great luck with west coast classics cougar in Oregon. Check out their website.

 

[Ron Tanzi]

Piper said: "Towards the end of my automotive career, I would only install OEM parts.. They cost more, but failure rate was extremely low.. We saved on comebacks and the lost revenue on doing the job over again." I maintain my newer Ford Vehicles with mostly Motorcraft parts. However, the quality and reliability of some parts has declined since Ford started sourcing some parts from China beginning in 2005. The world needs to acknowledge the many threats coming from the CCP. It has taken a war to convince the western world that Russia is a clear and present danger. Chuck

You got that right.

 

[Ron Tanzi]

I am a fan of Powermaster products. I have used their alternators and starters in Fords and Chryslers and they are good quality in my experience. I may curse myself by mentioning this: The starter in my Mustang was bought at Pep boys 1996 and it still works well. Now I will attempt to start her tomorrow and hear "click" "click". Lol.

Ron

 

[351c1971]

I have had good luck (so far) with NAPA rebuilt starters, alternators and disc brake calipers. They had my rebuilt MT starter delivered to the store in NJ on the next day.

 

[NOT A T5]

I LIVE AMERICA
I WORK AMERICA
I BUY AMERICA
I DRIVE AMERICA

 

[Bill Perkins]

I LIVE AMERICA
I WORK AMERICA
I BUY AMERICA
I DRIVE AMERICA

So true
Very well said

 

[Spike Morelli]

I want that for my bumper sticker.

 

[cv_72mustang]

Just my luck the bumper sticker would be 'misspeled' (sic) or fall off!

 

[mrgmhale]

I am appreciative of our having a starter & alternator rebuilder in our local area. I had them rebuild both alternators for our 1973 Mach 1 and Mustang Convertible. Neither alternator was bad, but both we for the original vehicle, neither of which were highly options and were non-A/C cars. Thus, their original alternators were 42 or 43 amp units. I had installed a lot of additional electrical goodies on both Mustangs (dual electric cooling fans, Classic Air Air Conditioning, DashCam, GPS with Backup Camera, Power Outlets on the full length console for 12 v sockets, and dual USB outlet, etc). When had all of the electrical circuits turned on in total they were pulling just over 40 amps, so at engine RPMs below 2,000 the alternator simly could not keep up. I had both rebuilt using a rotor with far more field windings, so the new output was well over 65 amps at 2,000 RPM, and more than 40 amps at idle. I would have rebuilt both myself, but I do not have a heavy duty soldering iron needed to properly and quickly handle the diode soldering.

With one of the rebuilds I did run into a problem. The brush holder also held the terminals for the Stator and Field Circuits (side terminal alternator for the Mach 1). When I first connected the rebuilt alternator I initially had intermittent output from the Alternator, then soon after no output (per a voltmeter I mount4d on the Center Console digital voltmeter). I did some testing and found the field circuit had to current traveling through it (0 amps), but the wiring to the alternator terminals was good.

I pulled the rebuilt alternator and found the spade terminal, held in place by the brush holder, was pushed down into the terminal slot portion of the brush holder, as opposed to locking in place when protruding. I took the alternator back and asked if I could get a new brush holder. The owner was really good about the situation, and suggested he just epoxy the spade terminal in its protruded position, which I was fine with. He pulled the sunken spade terminal out into its proper position, put a dab of epoxy on it, then bench tested the alternator.

I got back to our place and reinstalled the alternator. This time it ran perfectly, and has given no trouble since. That is the only time I have seen a brush holder for a side terminal alternator fail to lock a spade terminal into its protruded position. But, it was unusual enough to cause me to do a video on how I diagnosed the issue, then how it was corrected.

https://youtu.be/-ur-4TSZoRU



There is another video Lynda and I did showing how we reinstalled the locally rebuilt alternator into our 1973 Mustang Convertible. There are a lot of goodies in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm88glOT7LY