What size starter do I need
 

Hello, I'm a newbie and I am rebuilding a 1993 4runner. I am going to buy a reman starter while the engine is out. I don't want to fool with replacing it later since getting to it was a pain. I don't know if I need a 1.4V or a 1.6V...I don't know what the difference is besides size. I am thinking that I should just get the bigger one but want to make sure that it won't hurt. It is a 4X4 with an automatic transmission. Thanks.

If you have your original starter your much better off to rebuild it yourself or have it done.

Rebuild quality at the bigger chains has really gone down hill

Life time warranties are fine but it gets old after exchanging 5 starters or more

The 1.6kw starters are for the auto Transmission or the cold weather manual transmission option if you have the 22R series engine

Both are the same Physical size the 1.6 KW has more output

Great thanks...I have been debating rebuilding it. I took it out of the old engine and the engine must have sat for awhile. This thing is covered in oil and gunk. I was going to take it to a local shop to have them test it to see if it is in working order...if so I can just rebuild it. Like I said I just want to be done with it so I don't have to mess with it later. It looks like a major pain to remove it.

+1 on rebuilding it or even having it rebuilt. A rebuilt toyota starter will be half as likely to fail as would an aftermarket starter and you bet they are a pain to get out. I pulled a 3.4L engine out of a 2000 model a couple weeks ago and never did figure out how to get the starter out by itself. Ended up getting if off the engine and lowering it as far as I could while I finished pulling the engine.

Another vote for rebuilding. If you get a "new" starter, it's not new. It's just been rebuilt by probably underpaid, "I don't give a crap" laborers. Story goes, sometimes they just test them when a used core comes in, and if they test fine, they'll just throw some new paint on it and send it back out the door.

I just did the starter on my 98 and while mine is a manual, which I guess is a little easier, it really wasn't that bad. I mean yeah, definitely do the job while it's really easy. But it's not the end of the world. It was my first time doing a starter on a 3.4 and it took me 3 hours from pulling into the garage, to pulling back out again.

But yes, rebuilt it. All you're doing is replacing some brushes and contacts. Super simple, not involved at all. The majority of the starter stays completely intact; you just open it up a little and replace some tiny parts which, whether your starter tests out fine or not, are definitely getting worn. So there's just no reason not to do it while you have easy access to it. It also ought to cost under $20.

I just finished rebuilding it. Wasn't a bad job. Thanks for the information guys.

I bought a remanufactured starter from Carquest. The guy said it was a Denso and I looked at his computer and it said Denso. Is that what you would consider an old Toyota starter?
Thanks in advance..

Yep...sounds like it to me.

Just a little FYI on reman parts. A remanufactured starter for a Toyota will likely be a Denso because the original starters were Denso and the cores that people turn in are more than likely Denso. However, whatever parts were replaced in the Denso cores like contacts, gears, springs, etc., will likely not be the quality parts that were installed in the original. Just because it says Denso doesn't mean that Denso rebuilt it and there is no telling how many times the core that you're buying has been rebuilt. They have no way of knowing. There may be nothing wrong with the Carquest starter. This is just something to think about when you are considering a reman part from your local parts house. I buy a lot of reman parts but I like to know exactly what I'm getting when it comes to something as difficult to replace as some of these starters and other vitally important parts are.

I bought a starter from Toyota, and didn't realize it was a reman until it came in the mail. But I assume it was rebuilt with Toyota-quality parts, and clearly they don't make "new" starters for my truck anymore, so...hopefully it's as good as new, more or less. It was only $120 after the core return, which I think it plenty worth it.

I would have rebuilt mine but when my friend who I bought the truck from replaced the starter, years ago, he just went with a parts store reman starter. So I wanted to get Toyota parts back in there...

The reman starters from Toyota are good as new ones. It's actually pretty difficult to buy a truly new starter anymore.

Im curious, how much was you core worth? I bought a reman Denso starter for my log loader from John Deere. Nobody else had one so I had to pay $540 from the dealership and my core charge was only $14. I told the guy I'd just keep it for that.

$30. Need to see what shipping will be back to Toyota (bought it from Toyota of Dallas since they give such a huge discount) before I decide if it's worth it.

Keep it. Have for a spare or let someone on here buy it for a rebuild. Strange to me why that little Denso starter core is worth so much more than the big one I pulled off that Deere loader.