Stick with OEM Starter as Replacement?

[Printworthy]

Hi: Ive read all the threads on starter longevity - very helpful. I was thinking about replacing the starter and/or fuel pump as preventative maintenance on my 06 Denali that has 150K on the clock. No issues other that worrying about getting stuck far from home a trusted mechanics as I run my wife and all the gear down to Florida.
So should I stick with an OEM brand starter or does the forum have a favorite brand that they have experience with?
Many thanks.

 

[Miami-Dade]

Welcome from Miami!
Always stick with OEM!!

 

[OR VietVet]

Welcome to the forum.

Like @Miami-Dade said, stick with OEM. Have you looked it up yet? Give me vehicle specs and I can look at RA for ya.

Takes AC Delco 3371033 new for 6.0 engine
Takes AC Delco 3371119 new for 5.3 and 4.8 engines.

These are new and not rebuilt/remanufactured.

 

[swathdiver]

Hi: Ive read all the threads on starter longevity - very helpful. I was thinking about replacing the starter and/or fuel pump as preventative maintenance on my 06 Denali that has 150K on the clock. No issues other that worrying about getting stuck far from home a trusted mechanics as I run my wife and all the gear down to Florida.
So should I stick with an OEM brand starter or does the forum have a favorite brand that they have experience with?
Many thanks.

Welcome from Florida! What part of the Sunshine State are you headed to?

 

[RAMurphy]

Welcome to the forum. Like others have stated, stick with OEM. Your current starter lasted 150K, why switch to another brand.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

Pics of the truck, please.

You are already receiving sage advice from the knowledgeable folks on this Forum.

 

[Printworthy]

Welcome to the forum.

Like @Miami-Dade said, stick with OEM. Have you looked it up yet? Give me vehicle specs and I can look at RA for ya.

Takes AC Delco 3371033 new for 6.0 engine
Takes AC Delco 3371119 new for 5.3 and 4.8 engines.

These are new and not rebuilt/remanufactured.

 

[Printworthy]

Thanks all. I did go with the OEM.
Boy does it crank faster now! I guess it was a good preventative move!

 

[petethepug]

… I was thinking about replacing the starter and/or fuel pump as preventative maintenance on my 06 Denali that has 150K on the clock.

I’ll copy this into your post as long as it’s in my copy/paste from another post. Here’s some of the latest on OEM fuel pumps without the OEM pricing.

The part #’s are set to an 04 Tahoe 4.8L. Just change your vehicle to the 06 Denali on the same part suppliers.

A quick look shows Parts Geek the least expensive and Amazon has the Delphi & Bosch for about $60 more. Verify you also get a new fuel level sender.

View attachment 381900

 

[mjgirard]

I have the same situation. My 2001 Tahoe starts fine and runs great, it has 127000 miles. We are planning on taking a weeks vacation to the mountains of NC then visiting relatives in Wilmington on the coast. Should I replace the starter now or take the chance?
Does any one else have a 2001 that still has the original starter? I will use OEM if I do replace it.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[tom3]

Usually a starter gives some warning before it quits. At that mileage and it's working fine, good to go I think. I'd take a look at the fan belt and that little tensioner pulley though.

 

[Doubeleive]

I have the same situation. My 2001 Tahoe starts fine and runs great, it has 127000 miles. We are planning on taking a weeks vacation to the mountains of NC then visiting relatives in Wilmington on the coast. Should I replace the starter now or take the chance?
Does any one else have a 2001 that still has the original starter? I will use OEM if I do replace it.

Thanks for the advice.

I never had to change the starter on my 00 I sold it with 324k on the clock

 

[OR VietVet]

I changed my OE starter with 150k miles on it. It was fine but I had money for a GM starter and sold the used one and I was going on a 5k mile trip. Likely would have been ok but I am a thousandaire and felt like it.

 

[S33k3r]

I have the same situation. My 2001 Tahoe starts fine and runs great, it has 127000 miles. We are planning on taking a weeks vacation to the mountains of NC then visiting relatives in Wilmington on the coast. Should I replace the starter now or take the chance?
Does any one else have a 2001 that still has the original starter? I will use OEM if I do replace it.

Thanks for the advice.

I'd stick with "if it ain't broke don't fix it." If you are really concerned, take something you can whack the starter with if it acts up. That should work well enough to get you through to a replacement -- when needed.

Keep in mind your vehicle is likely 25 years old. Get in there to replace the starter, and no telling what can break during that repair. I do suggest checking your water pump, specifically, the "T" for your heater at the firewall, all your fluids (change if necessary, top off otherwise), all your belts and tensioners, your tires (wear and air pressure), and your brakes.

These are just good things to check in general, but especially before a long trip.

 

[mjgirard]

I'd stick with "if it ain't broke don't fix it." If you are really concerned, take something you can whack the starter with if it acts up. That should work well enough to get you through to a replacement -- when needed.

Keep in mind your vehicle is likely 25 years old. Get in there to replace the starter, and no telling what can break during that repair. I do suggest checking your water pump, specifically, the "T" for your heater at the firewall, all your fluids (change if necessary, top off otherwise), all your belts and tensioners, your tires (wear and air pressure), and your brakes.

These are just good things to check in general, but especially before a long trip.

Thanks for the info. I replaced anything to do with and including the water pump in April along with the heater Ts. I also replaced the radiator in April and put on new battery cables before our summer vacation trip to Upstate New York.

 

[rockola1971]

The starters nowadays are gear reduction so they just dont see as much back pressure on their rotors like the starters of the early 90's and before which most did not have gear reduction, yet they still lasted a long time but you usually had to replace the starter back then atleast once during ownership of a vehicle if kept for a decent amount of time. But back in the 70s and 80s it was very cheap to get a replacement or even rebuilt at a local rebuild shop that did alternators and starters. I sure remember those days. You could also have your radiator which didnt have the plastic tanks that exist today rebuilt economically. There were actually shops that rebuilt carburetors too but those of course went away after the proliferation of fuel injection. Now we got cheaply made radiators, alternators that are expensive and hard to disassemble to the average DIY'er and starters that can be hard to get parts for and even 4 wheelers have fuel injection now.