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A fully charged battery can lethargically turn the original, un-rebuilt Bosch starter in my '84 R100RT, but not enough energy left to actually start the engine. Without launching into testing that I'm not equipped or competent to do, I'm willing to assume that a refreshed or new starter is due for the old ride. Is there any concensus on the cost-effectiveness/durability of rebuilding the Bosch vs. a new Nippondenso? I like originality, but I also like the way my several Japanese cars all work while festooned with various Nippondenso bits, so I don't have any xenophobic hang-ups about parts' origins, as long as they work well long-term. Motorrad Electrik's Bosch rebuild appears to be only 1/3 of a new part's price, but I don't want to be dumb-cheap.

Konrad

nothing wrong with rebuilting most likely just bushing replacement and clean up lube the bushing during reasmebly

most that went Denso really like them

I had my BOSCHs rebuilt, but the track record on the Valeros with the unglued magnets suggests rebuilding THEM is a bad idea. The Nips are supposed to be as close to bulletproof as anything you can find.
My original Bosch starter ('78) ran OK up to around 2006 (7?). How many miles/starts have you got on yours?
I thought by "84 the BOSCH starters weren't OEM.

Bike has 61K on it, so something < 10,000 starts---maybe a lot less? I think the Valeos came on the mono shock bikes, with Bosches until then, but I haven't pulled mine out to check. If mine turns out to be a Valeo, I'll go with a new N-D without hesitation.

Following this thread closely. My 1974 with 50k miles is having difficulty especially when engine is hot. Didn't have that problem until it got new top end. Guess having compression now is revealing weakness in the starter. Just replaced starter and ground cables, but haven't run it yet. My symptom is that the starter just doesn't seem to be able to turn the motor. I have to bump it maybe a couple of times, then it will turn over fine. Also considering the Nipondenso.

I've had a Valeo 8 tooth in my /2 conversion for about 4 years and a thousandish starts. http://www.euromotoelectrics.com/Starte ... w-val1.htm

A year ago I put a Chinese valeo clone in my /5. http://www.euromotoelectrics.com/Starte ... w-str1.htm

It seemed quieter right out of the box than the Valeo. It only has a couple of hundred starts on it but it is on my winter bike and some mornings are a down around freezing. So far it seems better (and cheaper) than the Valeo.

On both bikes, battery size is limited, that is why I replaced the Boschs.

pmonk wrote:Following this thread closely. My 1974 with 50k miles is having difficulty especially when engine is hot. Didn't have that problem until it got new top end. Guess having compression now is revealing weakness in the starter. Just replaced starter and ground cables, but haven't run it yet. My symptom is that the starter just doesn't seem to be able to turn the motor. I have to bump it maybe a couple of times, then it will turn over fine. Also considering the Nipondenso.

In your case, I'd make sure it isn't the battery. If you wonder, you can jump it with a car battery and if it still spins slowly, you can assume it is the starter and not the battery.

OK, Chuey giving electrical advice? We need someone more savvy to chime in.

Chuey

Buy a good one (>2000) from German Ebay for less than $100 (plus postage)
Plus postage is an excellent excuse to buy MORE r100 bits and combine the postage.

I bought two Bosch starters which were new in 2004

I haven't needed either of them yet. My original one just won't die. It did take up smoking once or twice tho' and needed a bandaid 5 years ago.

Chuey wrote: OK, Chuey giving electrical advice? We need someone more savvy to chime in.

Chuey

Good lord. Next Rob will be giving us replacement transmission advice.

My Bosch got rebuilt with new bushes, which gave some improvement, but starting on the 1070 bike was transformed with a cheapo Valeo copy. Both 9 and 8 tooth valeos, which should not suffer magnet dropping are now available and to my mind I would go for one of these, especially if you need to pay to get the Bosch rebuilt.

My R90/6 has always had starting issues, only partially solved with ND starter, but what it really needs is new ring gear on the flywheel.