mom'sZ Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 I thought I read here or somewhere that L-6 gear redution starters were the design that everyone uses for race motors (SBC & BBC) and are available from summit or jegs. Mine didn't come with one, but from searching here I've deduced that they came in later ZXs and it will swap right into my 77 280Z. Anyone with knowledge on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARACU Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 I have one on my 76......Bolts right in! AL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_82_ZXT Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 I would check first. I think some 77s came with them factory, my 78 did. They all bolt up, and are either used from 77-83 or 78-83. What is good about them is that they draw a lot less current when cranking the car. Mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted August 2, 2006 Author Share Posted August 2, 2006 It seems to be hit or miss, year-wise, as far as which have them or not. I know one from a different year will work. The question is has anybody used one like http://store.summitracing.com/largeimage.asp?part=TIL-54-10001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 No, those are made to fit a V8 with a totally different bolt pattern and flywheel. Mario, if your 280Z has a gear reduction starter I think that at some point the stock starter died and somebody replaced it with the gear reduction unit. IIRC all 280ZX's came with the gear reduction units. They're lighter and from what I understand more prone to failure than the normal ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBeaut Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 I have one on my 76......Bolts right in! AL Damn!! I thought I saw some dirt in that engine bay but it was just a dead pixel on my laptop Cheers, Rob And now back to the thread... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-Z Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 No, those are made to fit a V8 with a totally different bolt pattern and flywheel. Mario, if your 280Z has a gear reduction starter I think that at some point the stock starter died and somebody replaced it with the gear reduction unit. IIRC all 280ZX's came with the gear reduction units. They're lighter and from what I understand more prone to failure than the normal ones. Thats what happend to me. When I got the car, the stock starter was in the trunk.and the reduction one was on the engine. I just rebuilt the stock one because it did faster startups. the reduction had so much otrque though. It could of pulled the 20 feet just by cranking in gear. I still have it if anyone's interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted August 2, 2006 Author Share Posted August 2, 2006 No, those are made to fit a V8 with a totally different bolt pattern and flywheel. Yeah I know, they make em for all different domestic V-8s. But I thought it was based on the stock (hitachi?) ZX gear reduction starter for it's light weight and torque. I think you have to swap the nose off an L-6 starter. I swear I read it somewhere, maybe I'm losin' it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 I think you're right, it is the same starter IIRC. Why would you bother paying more for it from Tilton though? Or do you just have one laying around? You'd also need to make sure that the gear is the same size if you were going to swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruez Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 If you really need a high torque, lightweight starter. Try Ted at http://www.tsimportedautomotive.com/starter0.html I got one of his units after trying a couple of ZX gear reduction starters that wouldn't turn the engine over very well.. The starter that came from TSI is a very nice unit and could pull stumps out of the ground. Starts my car without even a hiccup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primer&rust Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 mom'sZ you read about the two piece replaceable nose on the earlier reduction starters in How To Modify Your Nissan & Datsun OHC Engine. They are much lighter than the normal starters and came stock from 78-83 according to this book but some cars in wrecking yards have the normal one as people sometime go for the cheaper starter at the parts stores. I picked my reduction start up at a wrecking yard (could tell it was a parts store rebuild) and have not had any problems with it at all. They start the engine nice and quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 primer&rust: you know that book was sitting no more then 5 feet from me when I read your post. It says 'the early model Nissan gear reduction starter has a two piece nose housing. This allows the adaptation of the starter by fabricating a nose housing that matches that of the starter it replaces.' That's what I was talking about. I'm sure I read it somewhere on the internet, you can take one of those starters from summit or jegs and stick the nose housing on it from the early model L-6 gear reduction starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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