I bought a rebuilt starter for my 84 sc from Pep Boys. The starter was $60 and gauranteed for life. Two weeks later, it's dead. I'll get another from them for free, but I am surprised how quickly it failed.

Has anybody bought a rebuilt alternator or stater for their Fiero and seen failure so soon?

Should I expect to a future full of changing starters with free replacement??

Are new starters truly better?

I am starting to wonder.

All the time. That's why I buy Genuine GM Parts. Cost more, lasts longer.

I just replaced my starter with a rebuilt one and I've had it in for 2 days now...so far it is working beautifully...but if anything happens I will let u know...isn't it a ***** to get at? Man...barely fits past the Catty...anyways... ya I drive a 84 2M4

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Lance

I bought a lifetime warranty rebuilt alternator for my Corvette. It failed about a year later. In the meantime, Pep Boys has stopped carrying that particular alternator so they gave me a brand new GM alternator! Gotta love that kinda deal!

I always buy lifetime warranty stuff if it is available. I'm in the middle of changing the module in my 88 coupe that was just replaced a few months ago. Advance Auto changed it without a word. I think the quick dying parts are the exception and not the rule.

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Tennessee Fiero Owners

The Pep Boys starter on my '85 4-cyl (installed for previous owner) failed and was replaced multiple times because Pep Boys mechanics didn't know how to shim a GM starter.

My 84 (God rest its soul) went through four starters in three years - one only lasted six months. I got to where I could swap them out in about half an hour. They were always rebuilts from AutoZone, so I only had to pay for the first one. The old counter guy (who seemed to know his stuff) said these starters have fragile "Bendix drives" that are difficult to rebuild properly. Luckily neither my 86 nor my 88 has had any problem like this.

Is there some special procedure to shimming a starter? I would just discard the old shim, install the new shim that came with the new starter and bolt it down.

I have my original starter and have rebuilt mine to withstand the heat. The starter is basicaly place in an oven, so I've replaced most parts with heat resistant parts myself.
It will last forever, except the brushes.

ChadMan --

My AutoZone starter came with a gauge tool (a bent piece of round stock) and shims. Use the gauge to measure clearance between starter pinion and flywheel teeth. Add shims to increase clearance; remove shims to decrease clearance.