Rebuilding Starter

My taco wouldn't turn over today. Luckily my uncle, who is a mechanic, was there to help me troubleshoot. After checking the battery, he asked for a hammer and tapped the starter. Sure enough, the taco started.

He was saying starter can be rebuilt, if I didn't want to drop the money on a new one.

Anyone rebuilt there's? If so, where can you get the new bushings or whatever they are that go bad/wear out.

 

There's quite a few kits on Ebay. It's pretty easy to rebuild them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/starter-rep...Parts_Accessories&hash=item4857f322bd&vxp=mtr

 

Easy to do. Hard part is removing/re-installing the starter.
The dealer sells re-build kits for about $20, I think. Its just the copper contacts and plunger for the solenoid.

 

Is it worth getting this kit with the added replacement parts, or is it just better to get the contacts and plunger?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/starter-rep...yota|Model:Tacoma&hash=item417488bf33&vxp=mtr

 

At that price, I'd get the kit. You might damage the gasket and rubber do-hickeys taking it apart. However, when I did my re-build (many years ago), I just replaced one of the contacts, since everything else was still good. YMMV.

 

I just got the plunger and contacts for $14.99 shipped. Maybe I should have gotten the kit but after watching a youtube video of someone at a shop redoing a starter, it seems what matters are the contacts and plunger.

 

Yup. I did this about five or six years ago and have been trouble free since.

 

Yep.

Just be real careful, when taking the cap off of the solenoid, that you don't mess up the gasket.

 

I would put in a new starter. You will be spending ALOT of time getting the old starter out so I would just get a high quality professionally rebuilt one and put it in. In my opinion rebuild kits are not worth it unless you have some rare starter.