The Mountain Truck gets a pmgr starter

[smtngearhead]

I was getting tired of having to keep a jump box charged and behind the seat of the truck for those times that the starter wanted to drag on a hot restart so I figured the truck was due for an upgrade. I decided to take a few pics that some might find interesting.






The old starter weighs almost twice as much as the pmgr.

I also checked the current draw before and after.



My amp clamp outputs voltage to my meter so that’s 207 amps.



And 183 amps on the pmgr.



For the positive cable I bought one for a 1995 F150 so it had a lead to the starter and the old solenoid.
The old girl starts a lot easier now, no more dragging when the engine’s hot.

[Gary Lewis]

I knew the PMGR starter is lighter, but didn't realize it is basically 1/2 the weight.  And I also knew that it pulls less current, but not how much so 183 vs 207 amps.  That may not sound like much difference, but that current also spins the engine much faster.

Good info!  Thanks!

[Machspeed]

That is perhaps the best, if not one of the best, mods one can do to our trucks. I have no regrets in the change.

[wasteland_jack]

Indeed! My truck had been sitting for around 8 years when I bought it. The OEM starter died the second time I turned the key. I cycled through three NAPA starters that either burned out or wouldn't pop the bendix out far enough to engage with my flywheel. I finally heard about a shop nearby (shoutout to Auto, Battery, and Electric on Hawthorne blvd.) that builds starters in-house at half the price! Made in the USA, baby.

I haven't tested the current it draws, but the ABE starter turns much slower than the NAPA devices. It was interesting to hear when I first installed it. It's worked like a charm.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Are you sure NAPA sold you a starter for an automatic, and not a manual truck?

There's definitely a difference between the depth of a flywheel and a flexplate.