[DeTomaso] DB electric starter bites the dust

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Mon Jul 22 18:22:24 EDT 2013


In a message dated 7/22/13 14 26 53, dave at damardirect.com writes:


> Ed,
> I have had my DB starter 5+ years. I also wrapped a fabric heat shield 
> around it for good measure. No high temp starting issues.
> 

>>>FWIW, I have a starter which appears to be identical to the DB Electric 
starter, except it's a different color, I got it from Dennis Quella and it 
cost $150 instead of $50.

It broke, but I am willing to acknowledge that *I* broke it by noticing 
that the main cable on the solenoid was a bit loose, and then over-tightening 
it.   It turns out the stud on the solenoid is merely a standard bolt, and 
the plastic housing has molded internals to capture the head of the bolt.   
Attempting to tighten it resulted in the housing cracking and the bolt then 
flopping loose.   This happened at the track at the Reno-Fernley Speed Trials 
a few years ago.   Fortunately it was still able to make incidental contact 
and I was able to get home without resorting to push-starting (most of the 
time).

I mentioned it to DQ while there, and a few days after I got home, a new 
solenoid appeared at my door, gratis, even though I claimed responsibility for 
breaking the old one.   I swapped them out, carefully tightened the nut 
just so, and have been happy ever since.

The fact that you (you Hugh, not the other yous) have suffered repeated 
failures of the solenoid on the nominally identical DB Electrical units, may be 
down to the same poor installation technique that I used the first time.   
The fact that you Hugh isn't installing it himself prevents him from being 
able to say for sure.   It certainly would have been nice if there was a 
warning against getting too rambunctious when tightening the nut on the stud, 
though....

Mike



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