I am trying to change the starter on my 91' w/ a 3.4L from a 2001 taco. I got a starter for the engine from napa, but there are some small differences. The trans is an R151f turbo 5 speed. I think they used the 3.0 flywheel and clutch when doing the swap. Should I have gotten a starter for the 91' 3.0 or ignore the differences and proceed. The differences are that the lower bolt hole on my new starter is threaded v/s the old is not, the motor is slightly bigger on the old starter, and the signal wire connection is flipped the opposite direction. Also there is like a collar around the bendix cast into the starter case on the old and the new dose not have it. I believe the new one i have will bolt up, but I dont want to install it and screw something up when I go to crank it. thanks -J

 

when i did my 3.4 swap i reused all the 3.0L clutch components and starter.

You could just buy new starter contacts and keep the old one..
Ive heard its pretty easy to rebuild them.

 

I used the 3.4 clutch components(except throwout bearing, but that doesn't matter to the starter issue) and starter. To get it to work with the R150 bellhousing for the 3.0, I had to drill the threads out of the lower hole on the starter.

I never set the 3.4 and 3.0 flywheels next to each other to compare whether they have the same dia. ring gear and all, but I've heard of people going either way as far as original 3.0 starter or 3.4 starter. 904 is right about the contacts though, they are very easy to replace and something like $15 each.

 

I have used both the 3.0 and 3.4 starters on my truck, and I never drilled out any threads as JonnyBoy stated above. if you get it lined up right, your bolt should just thread all the way through, even using the R150 tranny.

It should not matter though about the 3.0 flywheel, they should have the same ring gear diameter as the 3.4.