[DeTomaso] DB starter final verdict

[Boyd Casey]

Well I have always been told to admit when I was wrong and I have to admit
that I was a least half wrong on this one. I installed my new IMI Hi torque
starter today and it took around 4 hours while the DB Electric starter
takes around two hours but there is a good reason for this. The IMI Hi
Torque is a much better constructed starter that uses Nippon denso
components and the starter motor housing,solenoid housing , mounting plate,
spacer are machined out of aluminum instead of stamped from cheap steel.
the IMI has a mounting plate with 18 mounting holes so you can index the
starter to find the optimum position for your engine and headers , while
the DB just goes in one way, the IMI is also a precision piece with the
drive gear designed to interface with the fly wheel within a tolerance of
between .04 an .1" so all the test fitting and positioning is much more
time consuming. The IMI is a gear reduction starter ,but it is not a
permanent magnet so it does not use the PMGR wiring that is problematic to
the life expectancy of starter solenoids. It can also allow a starter to
act as a generator and cause engine run on when the solenoid fails to
disengage from the flywheel quickly enough. Now as far as my DB starter
failures the first starter that failed had a defective solenoid . The
second DB starter did not fail. ( so me condemnation of them was at least
partially unfair) my fire wall mounted solenoid had a crack in it that was
not visible until it was removed from the car. It was only working
intermittently and was also sticking either on or off. So a $12 failed part
got me to spend $ 500+ because I didn't do a thorough diagnostic.
I do have to say that although I hate to spend money unnecessarily their is
no question in my mind that the IMI starter is clearly a better constructed
product then the DB Electric starter  which is cheap and tinny when
compared to the IMI Hi Torque. So there you have it ,and Dave I apologize ,
you were right there was an electrical fault in my starter system.
Boyd