How long should/does a starter live??
 

I have an 84 300 TD that is not cranking well after a dead battery (glove compartment light left on (by wife) while the car wasn't driven for a week).

Now it is the coldest time of the year hear in NCal and it is barely cranking when starting. Seems like a matter of time before it won't crank.

I have a 1 year old battery and alternator. My other diesel has had same plus starter already replaced.

Question- what is the typical lifespan for a starter - on a diesel??

I have no records of this being replaced. At 260Kmiles, maybe now could be the time. I guess I could swap batteries and see if that changes the behavior.

Anyone with ideas, please let me know.

alec

I don't know the answer to your question. But given that your MB is at 260k miles it would be prudent to replace the starter, alternator, ect. Lots of people prefer to wait until an outright failure. I am one of the few who believes some things, or most, will do better to be replaced before broken :)

Starters are one of those devices that will fail depending on how many hours of use they have and how hot they have become during that use.

If you utilize the starter to start the engine within three seconds, and the engine is maintained in this condition, the starter is going to last a very long time. But, if the engine typically requires 15 seconds of cranking to start, the starter temperatures climb dramatically and the life of the starter is summarily reduced.

I remember, distinctly, a 350 chevy V-8 that I changed the starter on. Bought the typical rebuilds that are available for less than $20. (at that time).
Rebuild would last about 18 months. That's it. This process would repeat itself. Apparently I never learned that a typical rebuild is a POS.

It's all in the duty cycle of the starter, and, in the case of it's replacement, the quality of the rebuild.