I am beginning to suspect there might be more different kinds of OE (or OE-alike) starters built to the '62-'02 Chrysler RWD pattern than any other application in the automotive world. As if that Mitsubishi-made '05-'08 Ram (5.7 V8 with manual transmission) item weren't a random enough find, they get weirder. Story Time with Uncle Dan!

I first saw a starter like this a long time ago on eBay:
It was listed as a starter for a '95 Durango with 5.2 V8. Looked like a Bosch PMPGR starter as used on FWD 4-and 6-cylinder Chryslers from '86 to '95, Volvos from '86 or so on up, and numerous other applications. So I sez to my rotating-electrics guy – he's like me with car lights, but for starters and alternators – I sez, "Uhhhh…is that a Bosch PMPGR starter for '62-'02 Chrysler RWD‽"

And he goes "Uhhhh…yeah, it is! WTAF?"

Neither he nor I can find evidence of this starter's existence. None on eBay, none in pages and pages of results for starter searches on Hollanderparts and car-part.com, none in any-year factory parts cattledogs, none in aftermarket cattledogs, not even a mention of it on RockAuto, just nothing. Best either of us can come up with is a faint hint of a reman-industry number, which nobody ever seems to have cattledogged or stocked. No bill of materials, no applications, no nothing, and always with a redirect to the (Nippon)Denso PMGR starter everybody already knows about, the kind factory-installed starting in '88 when they quit using the Chrysler-built OSGR starter.

Eventually I figure this is just another piece of evidence that a squirrel or something got into one of those particle colliders while it was running and shunted us all into »gestures at everything« this, and I'd seen a starter from another timeline. Either that, or a glitch in the matrix.

Still, it kept nagging at me. The pics in the eBay listing were real ones, not drawings or renderings. Things like this are like loose teeth to me, or ravelling threads: I cannot resist picking at them.

Just shortly ago, instead of working on a project with a looming deadline (it's looming even larger now) I picked at this mystery again. Don't recall what subchamber of a late-night rabbit hole I was in when I stumbled onto the actual story of this starter: it was used as original equipment in Mexico on at least '94ish to '98ish Dodge Ram trucks and vans with 3.9 V6s and 5.2 and 5.9 V8s. Locally made by Bosch in Mexico:

I didn't like giving up my alternate-timeline explanation, which was kind of giving me hope.

So I went digging further, and found some OE Bosch numbers, donned my virtual hip waders and went sloshing through AliExpress, and there I found – just imagine my shock and surprise – that new starters of this type are being made in China. On that subject, my rotating-electrics guy says "They've figured out proper metallurgy and surface treatment, so their starters and alternators are a whole lot better than they used to be; generally they're fine".

And now I had more numbers to plug into web searches, and with one of them I found a US parts vendor listing this starter, new, at a friendly price. I ordered one and had it sent to a friend in the states, asking that he put it on one of his Slant-6 cars and make me some videos. And here they are:

Bosch-type starter cranks with ignition disabled

Bosch type starter cranks, then starts engine

Wow, that is really fast cranking. So fast I wondered if maybe this were actually a PMDD starter, not PMPGR. I showed the vids to my electrics guy, and he said nope, it's a gear-reduction type; he could tell by the design details. "The basic design is no different than a Mitsubishi or a Hitachi or Marelli or Valeo or Motorcraft. Perfectly serviceable. They will pretty much all last longer than we have the cars."

I went back to that parts vendor and found the price had quadrupled. Guess mine was the only order they'd ever had for it, and it made them go "Awcrap, how'd that price get in there?".

PMPGR: Permanent Magnet, Planetary Gear Reduction
OSGR: Offset Gear Reduction
PMGR: Permanent Magnet Gear Reduction
PMDD: Permanent Magnet, Direct Drive
DD: Direct Drive

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Cool find. Two questions: How much does it weigh and is it worth buying one?

Thanks!
Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

The motor looks longer than the Hemi one we are using? Does it have more power? Or what would be the advantage to us.

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

Its main body is ~same diameter than the other starters, and slightly longer than the 56029274AA '05-'08 Ram Hemi/MT starter made by Mitsubishi (not as much longer as it looks; the different division between steel motor frame and aluminum front casting creates the illusion of much longer). Its solenoid is clocked such that on a Slant-6 it protrudes outboard more than the block-hugging one on the Ram Hemi starter. Cranking speed (i.e., starter torque) is audibly higher than any other starter I'm aware of that'll fit a Slant-6; the nominal rating is 1.8 kW, which is a whomping 2.4+ horsepower. Compare the first-design Chrysler geared starter (1.3 hp), the second design (1.5 hp) and the extra-big 3rd design (1.8 hp), and the Nippon/Denso at 1.9 hp. The Hemi/MT item is 1.7 kW (just under 2.3 hp). So you're gonna win the starter-horsepower bench race every time. Other than bragging rights, this kind of extreme starter power is unlikely to be actually needed on a Slant-6 application; for high-compression V8s I can see it being a real nice alternative to spending hundreds of dollars on an aftermarket hot rod starter (Powermaster, etc).

One advantage of this starter over the Hemi Ram item is that it just bolts right on. Drop in and go. You don't have to drill out threaded holes or buy a special countersink bolt as the Hemi Ram starter requires.

Should you buy one? Well…h'm. Do you want one? Here it is at a friendly price (and for what it's worth, Amminazon thinks it weighs 9 pounds, 5 ounces).

Pics (Chrysler, Bosch, Mitsubishi, Nippon/Denso):

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks very much for the info, Dan. Might try one! I am always futzing with different transmissions/adapters and exhaust systems, so it might come in handy. I have 6 speeds and boost and a different chassis on my mind for the future... I feel like this new one could allow more space for exhaust coming out of a rear Dutra manifold? Will ponder.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Just curious, what was the price on amazon? It shows as "currently unavailable" so the price is gone.

I think it was $90 or so. I looked and it was available, and then it was not a few hours later.

Best, Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I saw the same. $89.79 and then "Currently unavailable". I figured Lou bought one!

Here it is at a few cents less.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Yep, I almost bought, then hesitated, then it was gone later.

I notice that new link (TPP) is also out of stock, so I bet it was the same source. Maybe we'll wait a bit and/or search later... Certainly not a priority for me.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

So the one factory assigned to production is making them one at a time as needed. lol 90 isn't a bad price for "quality" new production especially for a more powerful unit.

If I can't go to a auto parts store and ask for one then it probably isn't on my radar. Now if we were in Mexico I guess.....

I does look like it may give a little more room for Dutras at the rear?

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

The main selling point is the NEW factor. Parts store remans were a crapshot 15 years ago and it isn't getting better

Well, here's 10-plus availability, though at $136 rather than $90.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.