Re: alfa-digest V7 #680 - Bosch Starters

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

Brian,
	The late 80's Bosch cars have a high speed with gear reduction 
starter.  My 87 Graduate had one that drove me nuts about 2 years ago.  I am 
not sure what years used them, but I know my 87 ended up with an 84 starter.  
As my 91 does not have one, I suspect Alfa had problems with them and only 
used them about 3 years.
	The concept was that the high speed with sun and planet gears gave 
more torque.  They sell similar starters for racing chevys.  At 7 pounds the 
high speed starter weighed about 5 pounds less than the 84 starter at 12 
pounds.  It has permanent magnets around the outside of the case rather than 
electro magnets.  The case is stainless steel under the paint.
	My problem was the starter would turn the engine with the spark plugs 
out.  That it would not turn the engine with the plugs in (the normal 
condition 8^)   was why I quit messing with it.
	I tore it down several times to try and fix it.  It would bench test 
just fine, but did not have power when installed.  I suspect that one of the 
permanent magnets had developed a crack that I could not see.  Thus it was 
down on power.
	I am sure it will not fit on 74 and newer Alfas.  There have been 
some threads on replacing early starters with later ones in past digests.
	If you are building a race car, consider saving 5 pounds and using 
this starter.  I will probably have mine professionally rebuilt and use it on 
my race car.
	The smaller starter is much easier to install on a Bosch car.  
Working the large starter back under the intake plenum is a real pain.  The 
large starter also requires the supplemental mount from the front of the 
starter to the motor mount.  The high speed starter does not have this mount 
(or mine did not).
Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City



In a message dated 5/2/99 2:52:05 AM Central Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

<< Date: Sat, 1 May 1999 18:03:53 -0400
 From: "Brian Shorey" <bshorey@domain.elided>
 Subject: bosch starter question
 
 hello all,
 
 i heard rumor that the starters used in bosch spiders are smaller, lighter,
 and turn much faster than the starters in the spica cars.
 
 anybody installed one in a spica car?  does it use the same ring gear?
 
 tia,
 
 bs
  >>

------------------------------