Gen 3 Montero Starter - Issues with an answer

omegans

New member
My 2002 Montero was progressively getting harder to start. I changed the battery, checked the wiring to starter, verified alternator was working and finally decided it must be the starter (solenoid going bad). It was very sluggish to turn over. I came here and searched to see if there were any pitfalls on Gen 3 Montero starter replacements and I found this thread: gen3-starter-replacement. Wanting to save some coin, and Not heeding the cautionary advice in that thread, I ordered a Bosch SR4164N which is listed as the correct starter for a Gen 3 Montero. It arrived, I installed and bumped the key. It turned over quickly and started, but there was a loud grinding coming from the starter. It was like the Bendix was not disengaging from the ring gear. I tried starting/stopping the engine several times, then rev'd it to see if I could get the pinion to sling back and disengage with no luck. I then loosened the mounting bolts and crawled under while it was running and wiggled the starter to try and get the bendix to disengage - no luck. Took it back off and put the dying starter back in. I attempted to order an OEM one (P/N M379687D ) but turns out no more of those starters exist - all the Mitsu dealerships I called said they could not get them; no stock left. So I bought an Advance Auto Carquest Starter (P/N #17131S). Installed and it was grinding too. I took the starter off and compared to my stock starter and noted the following:
PartNumber.jpg
Bendix location.jpg
The pinion gear appears to be higher on the starters they listed for Gen 3 Montero's than the stock Mitsu starter I have. I can only assume that even in the retracted position, the bendix was still engaging the ring gear. So I had to do something and I made a wild ass guess and tried a 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport starter (3.5liter 6G74 just like my Gen 3). The carquest P/N for that is #17775S which is different from a Gen 3, but the OEM P/N for a '01 Sport is M379687D which is the same as a Gen 3 (so I assume none available). The Sport starter looked and measured identical to my Gen 3 starter and bolted right in place. Bumped the starter and No Grinding. Fortunately it only takes about 25 minutes to change the starter, but doing the job 4x sucked and buying and returning 3x is also a hassle. I still don't know why my starter was special, but I wanted to put this thread up to maybe help someone in the future.
 

omegans

New member
It would crank very slowly for the first 2-3 revolutions. Just like the battery was dying or if there was a bad ground/power connection. I replaced the battery and left a charger on it every night. Even with a full charge, it still turned over really really slow. There toward the end, I would have to bump the key 3x before the starter would even turn over. The new starter zings it right over and it fires up quickly.

The starter bolts to the transmission, not the engine. I have a '02 Limited with a 5speed (never offered in a Sport - they had 4 speed auto's). I wonder if the engine was ever replaced in it's lifetime and a Sport 3.5 engine and flexplate was installed. Maybe the Sport flex plate ring gear has a different distance from the face to the bendix. Just a theory?
 

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