some parts stores dont show the old style anymore they just give you the gear reduction .
Sorry if this is offensive to you, but this post of yours shows that you have little to no experience with a PMGR starter. I have installed them on mixer trucks at work, then found that they start easier, faster, and even crank when the batteries get fairly low on voltage. I don't believe that the 4bt and 6bt Cummins engines ever had a direct drive starter. And I have seen guys crank on them quite a while to bleed injector lines, no problem.I'm not a fan of the gear reduction starters unless you have a modern vehicle that doesn't see water and doesn't need to crank long, in other words, something with OBDII.
I have no problem driving a manual transmission vehicle across the parking lot on a starter that lacks permanent magnets.
I would not compare starters based on the "kilowatt" ratings they arbitrarily come up with. Most of them rate it based on nearly locked-rotor amps and and 12.6v. You need to know what torque at what RPM.
So when the field coils heat up and draw more current, and the permanent magnets don't, the wire wound starter will last longer? What does water have to do with it?
Sorry if this is offensive to you, but this post of yours shows that you have little to no experience with a PMGR starter. I have installed them on mixer trucks at work, then found that they start easier, faster, and even crank when the batteries get fairly low on voltage. I don't believe that the 4bt and 6bt Cummins engines ever had a direct drive starter. And I have seen guys crank on them quite a while to bleed injector lines, no problem.
I'm not sure how you can state that the kilowatt ratings put out by manufacturers are arbitrary. My personal experience seems to prove that the power ratings are correct. I have 2 carbureted trucks with PMGR starters, as well as 2 injected ones.
And I don't believe that the comment about water is valid. And a direct drive starter has more copper windings than one with magnets. There is more of a chance for the coating on the field coils to crack open and then get shorted by the water.
And I had no problem find a conversion equation for KW to HP..I'm just going off of the ratings that Delco uses. They developed the magnets, and built the starters. I think you're missing out, on some great starters.
I agree. Heat soak problems, with the old school direct drive was a problem, especially with headers. A #$^*&^^Ford solenoid on the fender usually cured this problem. It also cures starting problems on backhoes and garden tractors.LOL I have found, that the PMGR Delco starters, aren't bothered by this on our Chevy's even with headers. But it can't hurt, and will make your ignition switch last longer!Just thought I'd mention the extra solenoid mod here. I swapped cheap lifetime warranty starters every 6 months for a while until I installed a remote-mount solenoid. The biggest problem with the system is that long pink wire and switch on the column. Once everything gets hot the starter solenoid doesn't get enough current to engage properly. Once I added the remote solenoid, my "dead" starter has worked great for more than 10 years (with headers). All the remote solenoid does is supply current to the starter solenoid. The main starter wire is still straight to the battery.
I've seen reference to gear reduction starters on the vortec (sbc) engines in some applications, but I never dug in enough to figure out when that started. I would think there would be plenty of those rigs in the wrecking yard if you wanted used.
I got a pretty well used powermaster and swapped it when the stock (parts store replacement) started to slow down during cranking, and even with a worn down battery and crappy used aluminum battery cable, it cranks over as well or better than any non gear reduction starter I've ever heard.
I agree. Heat soak problems, with the old school direct drive was a problem, especially with headers. A #$^*&^^Ford solenoid on the fender usually cured this problem. It also cures starting problems on backhoes and garden tractors.LOL I have found, that the PMGR Delco starters, aren't bothered by this on our Chevy's even with headers. But it can't hurt, and will make your ignition switch last longer!
I went with a 6449 starter from DB electrical. Easy install and it works. We'll see how it holds up.
The best bang for the money, is to use the 6449 gm starter. They fit all of the Vortec 4.3, 5.7, and 454 engines '97 to 2000. They are a perm. magnet planetary gear reduction unit. Have to get slightly shorter starter bolts, but other than that, they are a direct bolt on. They have a 3 bolt solenoid, that can be rotated, so it's easier to get to your wires. I sell them brand new, for $145.View attachment 299418 View attachment 299419