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silversyncro
Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: silverton colorado
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 Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| msewalson wrote: |
I have the GW starter and so far very happy with it. I was in your shoes not to long ago and was getting tired of swapping out lifetime starters from Auto Zone.
Matt |
Thanks Matt,
How long have you had the GW starter installed? Did you do the install yourself? |
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westyventures
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2004
Posts: 2306
Location: Oregon Outback
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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A couple things after reading comments:
| silversyncro wrote: |
I've read up on the Westy Venture TDI units w/ adapter, but apparently Karl has stopped selling starters due to warrantee issues, which to me implies that those reman. starters are not reliable either. He also states on his website that they only work with stock size ring gear...I'm running 6.17 R & P's, so not sure I can go that route?
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I stopped supplying starters because if there was a warranty issue I would end up losing money if the buyer insisted on me covering the warranty. Apparently, some Bosch retailers won't honor a Bosch warranty unless you bought the item from them. Strange. Very easy to locate a starter, even Amazon carries them. The quality on the reman Bosch starters I've seen has been great.
Ring gear = flywheel ring gear. Almost every conversion uses the stock ring gear size and spacing, except of course the ones using a Subie bell housing.
| insyncro wrote: |
I see RMW has borrowed Karl's idea 
That may have put the brakes for him. |
Dylan - RMW buys the adaptors from me, no worries on them harming my business. Mike is a stand-up guy. Overland/Eurospec, on the other hand, unscrupulously stole my design after my rep with them asking me 'how I did it' a few years ago. Dicks. I guess I could give them a hard time, but I will just let others know what dicks they were.
I have a ton of new adaptors and they are selling faster than ever - different machine shop CNC'ing them for me now and the quality is much nicer than ever.
Karl
www.westyventures.com |
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silversyncro
Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: silverton colorado
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the info Karl, I appreciate you chiming in....and thanks to all you guys for the helpful discussion , some great info here!
I'm admittedly tempted by the GW unit purely for the simplicity, and the fact that it's brand new...which is really lucky for me I guess, otherwise I'd have to send my van to Dylan for a engine swap to fix my bad starter.
I'm just so tired of modifying things to make what should be a simple system work, tired of adapting and grinding and doing things over and over and especially tired of the lack of accountability due to shoddy workmanship. I REALLY want a brand new starter, not a reman. A stock starter would work like butter on my conversion if I could just get one that wasn't a POS...pisses me off.
Karl, do you have a recommended source for the starter you use, preferably brand new? |
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westyventures
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2004
Posts: 2306
Location: Oregon Outback
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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| silversyncro wrote: |
Thanks for the info Karl, I appreciate you chiming in....and thanks to all you guys for the helpful discussion , some great info here!
I'm admittedly tempted by the GW unit purely for the simplicity, and the fact that it's brand new...which is really lucky for me I guess, otherwise I'd have to send my van to Dylan for a engine swap to fix my bad starter.
I'm just so tired of modifying things to make what should be a simple system work, tired of adapting and grinding and doing things over and over and especially tired of the lack of accountability due to shoddy workmanship. I REALLY want a brand new starter, not a reman. A stock starter would work like butter on my conversion if I could just get one that wasn't a POS...pisses me off.
Karl, do you have a recommended source for the starter you use, preferably brand new? |
The IMI 'high torque' starter failures are actually what spawned my prototype 'MoreTorque' adaptor 8~9 years ago. The TDI starter is faster and more powerful than what IMI offers (the brand GW sells).
New starters are mostly Asian-made garbage, but hopefully there must be a good one out there someday, somewhere? There is this one on Amazon, perhaps take a chance and report back? You could buy two and have a spare:
http://www.amazon.com/LActrical-STARTER-VOLKSWAGEN...PCUL86V2OF
I have had nothing but good luck with Bosch remans - great quality and service. They might have a bad rap on the ancient starters from older cars and waterboxers, as they are many times rebuilt many times before you get them. TDI starters are more likely on their first rebuild when you buy one.
http://www.boschautoparts.com/AlternatorsStarters/Pages/PPRemanStarters.aspx
Their warranty program is very good. I use nothing else on my own cars, unless I can get brand-new Bosch, like the 220A alternator I just bought for the Sprinter project.
Karl
www.westyventures.com |
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Syncro Jael
Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2013
Posts: 2204
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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We have installed GW starters on both our Syncro's. Mine has the EJ22 Subaru and my Sons is a stock 2.1 WBX.
So far so good! Mine has been on for a couple months and about 2000 miles. My Sons has been on about a month.
Spins both motors easily.
If mine ever goes out I will look into the TDI starter.
But for now we are HAPPY! 
I hate changing a starter in a Syncro!!!
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat) |
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westyventures
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2004
Posts: 2306
Location: Oregon Outback
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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| I should state that the IMI failures I dealt with were all from the same van - a Syncro Westy with a 1.9TD engine, using an adaptor plate to mount the engine to the wbx bell housing. Unfortunately the family that owned the van was stranded multiple times over 50K miles in Central America and had to have replacements shipped there. Once they returned to the US and decided to sell the van I had to find a better solution. Perhaps lower-compression engines won't stress the IMI as much - but the last one on that particular van lasted less than a year. |
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dkoesyncro
Samba Member
Joined: December 10, 2006
Posts: 982
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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We have a great local guy that is expensive but stands behind his work! Like east coast Dylan; these folks are retiring with out any one stepping up to learn the trade. Its PMX Portland,OR cost for my syncro starter was 200 rebuilt and he says its the last one I'll need-I went this rout after having a dept. store rebuilt last for less than a year.
Dillon |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1867
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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westyventures
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2004
Posts: 2306
Location: Oregon Outback
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Phishman068 wrote: |
I have a local starter and alternator repair shop as well that is SPECTACULAR. I can put people in touch with them if you pirate message me.
They do everything in house and actually care!
It's wild.
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Argh! Do they wind their own armatures and fields? Make their own solenoids? |
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msewalson
Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2009
Posts: 544
Location: Grand Junction, Colorado
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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silversyncro,
I've only had my GW starter in for a few months and like I said earlier, no problems yet. I considered going the adapter plate/TDI route but wanted something that would bolt right in with no additional mods. I also wanted a "new" starter and was tired of dealing with rebuilt rebuilts. I'll admit that I was a little hesitant with purchasing the GW starter but figured they would stand behind their product if I had any issues.
Matt
_________________
87 Syncro w/EJ22 |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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| silversyncro wrote: |
| I'd have to send my van to Dylan for a engine swap to fix my bad starter. |
No thanks, I have plenty of work.
If any 1.8Ts are being installed around these parts, they will be by Flint's design and that uses the starter from the Passat....also available brand new BTW |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 10:02 pm Post subject: |
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| westyventures wrote: |
| Dylan - RMW buys the adaptors from me, no worries on them harming my business. Mike is a stand-up guy. |
Sweet 
Sorry to hear about the other vendor  |
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morymob
Samba Member
Joined: November 09, 2007
Posts: 4683
Location: east-tn
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 4:31 am Post subject: |
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| Luck i guess but 20+ yrs, 5 WBX's ( 3were '84's) The auto 1 had to remove and clean sol plunger, gummy & hanging,1 with over 12 yrs & over 300k. The syncro and the '88 westy fine so far, 10+ & 5+ yrs , i do have a couple spares tho. |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 7:11 am Post subject: |
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I was P mailed another sage rebuilder in my area.
Dropping off a few starters for them to completely rebuild and see how they work after.
I will place a classifieds ad for them once I feel they are up to snuff.
Fingers crossed as I would love to get rid of the apple crate full of just starters and alternators  |
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FNGRUVN
Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2007
Posts: 2237
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:58 am Post subject: |
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Silversyncro - have you replaced the starter bushing in the bellhousing? A worn out bushing will kill a new starter real quick.
_________________
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin |
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silversyncro
Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: silverton colorado
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:04 am Post subject: |
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| FNGRUVN wrote: |
| Silversyncro - have you replaced the starter bushing in the bellhousing? A worn out bushing will kill a new starter real quick. |
Yep...new bushing with each new starter, but thanks for the thought! |
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silversyncro
Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: silverton colorado
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:05 am Post subject: |
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| Phishman068 wrote: |
I wouldn't touch one of those GoWesty starters if I was given to me! |
why not? |
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silversyncro
Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: silverton colorado
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:09 am Post subject: |
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| westyventures wrote: |
| Phishman068 wrote: |
I have a local starter and alternator repair shop as well that is SPECTACULAR. I can put people in touch with them if you pirate message me.
They do everything in house and actually care!
It's wild.
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Argh! Do they wind their own armatures and fields? Make their own solenoids? |
Exactly!! I'm NOT buying another rebuilt stocker!!...been there done that, it's time to move on. |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:11 am Post subject: |
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Craig, send any you get my way.
I'll put it to good use.
I really like how the wiring gets relocated on a Syncro |
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silversyncro
Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2006
Posts: 135
Location: silverton colorado
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:14 am Post subject: |
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| insyncro wrote: |
| silversyncro wrote: |
| I'd have to send my van to Dylan for a engine swap to fix my bad starter. |
No thanks, I have plenty of work.
If any 1.8Ts are being installed around these parts, they will be by Flint's design and that uses the starter from the Passat....also available brand new BTW |
D - there are plenty of duche-bags in this world. With a little more effort on your part, you too could NOT be one of them. Please stop mucking up this thread and others with your useless self promotion. No one here has any interest in your rusty old junk |
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