Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Every once in a while, the starter on my '51 would hesitate a bit before it picked up and started the car. It happened once in about every 20 starts. This bothered me a bit, so I decided to solve the problem. Usually, I would have gone through the starter myself, but minor hand surgery has kinda limited me lately. I had seen several references to quality rebuilt starters from NAPA cheap, so I thought I'd take the easy way out this one time. I ordered a starter through NAPA Online and installed a new drive on it after I received it.

The first time I tried to start the car, it would barely turn over. I had had to start the car with the old starter to get it on the lift, so it had been working perfectly (with a fully charged Optima) just minutes before. We raised the car and checked the installation over and made sure it was grounded properly. The next attempt at starting the car, was the same; I did get it started but it barely turned over. Up again, and this time I put a 4 GA cable between the starter mounting bolt and a head bolt, but had the same labored turnover problem.

I had already disassembled the previous starter in preparation for a checkout, new brushes, and bushings, so I went through my stash and found one that had a "GOOD" tag on it. I installed that one and everything is fine again. Obviously, the unit from NAPA is defective.

One of the objectives I had was to reinforce my faith in NAPA as a consistent good source of parts, so this turned out to be doubly disappointing. Now I get to negotiate their Return Policy. I hope it works better than their starter.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Anything you buy from any source can turn out defective. It isn't NAPA's fault at all.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

My local Napa is incredible with returns. No questions asked. I have built a relationship with them, so maybe that helps. Not sure. I would absolutely return it for another one.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

This one came with a "Passed" Test Certificate in the box. There was no shipping damage that I could see. Don't get me wrong, I have had plenty of positive experiences dealing with NAPA over the last 50 plus years. I am pretty sure that NAPA does not do their own rebuilding, but outsources it. From a close inspection of said "Test Certificate", it looks to me that the rebuilding was not performed in the United States.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Last year I got a new starter from one of the reliable vendors. Had many problems with it. Come to find out the armature was out of round by a lot. It was replaced and all is good.
Paul in CT

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

I believe they sometimes use brushes made from chynezium. DD

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

"Chynezium" : a very rare metal which too much stuff sold in America is made from these days.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

There is a very loose definition of the word "rebuilt" when it comes to starters. The problem is not isolated to NAPA.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Your 51 is still 6 v positive ground just a thought did NAPA convert it to 12

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

I sure hope not. NAPA rebuilt starters have been recommended on here by several reputable people, which is why I got one.

If they did, I'll scratch them off my list of recommended suppliers.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

I have had very good fortune with NAPA remanufactured starters.
Folks, keep in mind there is an industry difference between remanufactured and rebuilt. Remanufactured is the best way to go if available.
I'm certain a bad one gets through now and then. However, I am willing to bet, at least with NAPA remanufactured starters, the percentage of bad ones is very low.

I disagree completely with a previous post by Franklin. It is solely NAPA's fault and no one else's. THEY sold you the starter.

Dennis, if you want, NAPA will reimburse you for your labor to R&R. You'll need to fill out a form of course but it's easy.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Mike, you may be right, but what scares me is that this might be the sign of a permanent downturn in quality. The pre-printed "Test Certificate" I referred to was in Spanish.

Getting reimbursed for labor sounds good, but ya know, I just couldn't do it; I'm just not built that way. It looks like Corporate America has found a way to make money off of my good intentions.:(

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

I doubt NAPA or any other retail merchant tests the starters they sell, they trust their suppliers. I think there is a marked decline, generally, in quality parts across the board.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

By all means it is NAPA's fault and responsibility. Did you try it on 12volts ? My NAPA
guys are the best, I'm sure yours are too. Don't be counting them out...IMHO.
Charlie ny

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

I just received one today. It looks OK, but the box sure was beat up, so I’m kinda nervous about it.

There’s an orange label on mine with a number to call for help. Did yours have that too? We’re they helpful?

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

So Charlie, what could NAPA have done to be faultless in your book?

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

I'll agree with this.

Still, NAPA in this instance is the place that sold it. It is up to them to source reliable suppliers.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Like you, I have often been reluctant to file for reimbursement on a simple job. However, back in the 70's when I did this stuff for a living, I would file. Time, as you know, is money.

I recall clearly Jasper so called rebuilt engines... after two that were total crap, well, no more Jasper (are they still around?). I had no issues with filing for reimbursement.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

I will wager that I have changed dozens of flathead Ford starters in the last 65 years. I have rebuilt several of them as well; it just wasn't a good fit for me this time. I will guarantee that there was nobody at that number that would have been able to offer anything I didn't know.

If you have problems, post here before you call that number (unless you are fluent in Spanish).

The part they supplied was clearly defective. All of this being said, yours is probably good. Please let us know if it's not, as that would portend an unfortuante trend with NAPA.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Franklin....."who shot john ?"......party at fault is the party that caused Denny a PITA.
NAPA will make it right but the PITA remains.

Charlie ny

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Tub ……..

I had a similar problem several years ago with a new starter I bought with the updated drive. No one told me I had to grind away the bell housing to make it fit. After a long time working on that I finally got the starter to fit. Once installed it barely turned over. I burnt out 3 solenoids before I took the damn thing out and threw in the trash. Had the original rebuilt and worked perfect. When I called the supplier the guy told me…..oh yeah we’ve had that problem. Didn’t you get the flyer in the box ! What flyer ? Why would you sell something that you knew wouldn’t work ?

Mike

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Back in the 70's , i worked in a parts house and we sold new and rebuilt starters. Of course we sold more rebuilt than new because of the price difference. I f a customer brought back a part and said it would not work we would replace it and send the bad one back to our supplier. Now if the customer brought the second back then we would question them.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

I have learned my lesson. No more rebuilt starters for me; I'll do 'em myself from now on. When this debacle is finally over, I'll have a good spare and NAPA will have theirs back.

It's ironic; I did it this way to save some time on labor and will end up having changed the starter twice and rebuilt two starters.

I was kinda amazed at how many cores I have accumulated over the years.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

My take is different and I agree with 38coop. Think of the thousands of starters that get rebuilt or remanufactured. Sadly, you got a bad one. It happens in ever form of manufacturing.

I would simply take it back, ask for a replacement and go from there. To say Napa is putting out crappy stuff is being too critical over getting one bad unit without letting them make it right. Napa is a good company and I'd be surprised if they don't exchange it.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

I have no doubt I'll be able to get my money back, as I have all of the paperwork and am easily within their required time frame. I don't need another, and if I did, it wouldn't be from them. I want to emphasize the fact that there was a filled in Test Certificate that came in the box with the starter stating it was fine.

That tells me that the quality control at the rebuilder they use sucks. It is my belief that something has changed at NAPA, and it's not for the better.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

You have places you can go and buy flathead starters?
You're lucky.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Lots of starters for sale on Ebay.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...arter&_sacat=0

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

The hardest thing for me to get used to when trouble shooting something is that "NEW DOES NOT = GOOD". I believe there is NO QC on anything anymore as it is far cheaper to just give the poor customer another unit. Sad state of affairs but probably has to do with the "global economy" and manufacturing plants who knows where.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

>>>I would simply take it back, ask for a replacement and go from there. To say Napa is putting out crappy stuff>>>


I'd do the same. Sorta proves they sold me some crappy stuff. 8^)

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Ask any busy mechanical shop if they've ever gotten a poor quality remanufactured item. If they say no, they aren't busy.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

I worked as the Parts Manager at the local Ford dealership in the mid 70's.

We sourced a TON of Rebuilt Ford parts from the Ford rebuilder in Peoria, Illinois. I think they were called 'Universal' or something like that. Their parts came in a box marked 'Ford Rebuilt----' whatever it happened to be.

We never ever had a single problem with anything we got from them. Water pumps, alternators, starters, fuel pumps you name it. They did engines and transmissions too. Excellent quality excellent work, our customers appreciated the prices. The parts were warrantied the same as the new parts were.

Man I miss the 70's when you could still get good parts, unlike today. Today it's a crap shoot you have no idea what you are getting. And if it is coming from off-shore it will no doubt be garbage.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Amen Jeff .....!!!

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Yep, it's a different world today. I would bet most, if not all of the parts house suppliers, sell cheaper, imported hard parts, especially
starters and alternators. The cores are shipped over by the boat
load, and come back full of Chinezium, but "at very competitive
prices".

Caveat-Emptor(sp?) applies here too. Read the fine print, ask the
counter-guy if they are imported, and plan on spending almost
twice the price for a QUALITY REMANUFACTURED part, preferably
sourced in the U.S. You get what you pay for.....!!

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Re..

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

You're probably right, but it's still a shame to see NAPA go down the same dusty trail as
Autozone, O'Reilly's, Auto Value and the rest of the chains. We used to be able to depend on them as "for the pro's" and not just a place for a do-it-yourselfer to get cheap parts.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

If it helps you reconcile this, I believe NAPA is trying.

For example: I doubt the other vendors you mentioned above are still supplying caps for the old Mallory dizzys like in the thread we had going a few weeks ago.

I feel NAPA is one of the good ones left. Even the best have a few missteps. It's how they deal with those missteps is what keeps them on top.

Just my two cents.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Sorry to hear that about NAPA. If you folks lived in the Southeastern MA area I would recommend you call or visit Dennis at LH Boulanger in New Bedford MA. Small father & son automotive electric shop that rebuilds starters, solenoids, generators and alternators. They have been in business for years, and do a a lot of heavy equipment and marine as well as automotive. Another good old time rebuilding shop is Yankee Auto Electric in Pawtucket RI, (Near Providence), in business 55 years.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Luuxuury!!!!

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

Yes Universal was it, they had almost everything right over the Ford counter, one of my cars has a Universal rebuilt started I bought in 1973.

Re: Bad rebuilt starter from NAPA
 

"Krylon rebuilds", eh? Always been a problem for DIYers. It's one reason shop fees & labor charges are what they are, they have to incorporate defective replacement parts into their business model or whatever. They probably aren't gonna come out ahead on that deal plus the customer is mad. One thing that would probably weed out a lot of bum starters is a current draw check but without some sort of test jig it would first have to be installed on the engine.

One thing most people pick up on when they start to do their own repairs & rebuilds or machine work, not too many outfits have much attention to detail or excellence in their work. Or to be fair, not too many want to pay for it.