What gear-down starter will replace my Delco-Remy starter on my 2003 8.3 ?

[shoalsgary]

My Delco Remy starter has an intermittent starter even though I spent $75 to get it checked out at a starter shop. I would like to replace it with a lighter gear-down starter but don't which one to buy. I don't want to pull that heavy starter out again to count gear teeth either!

[CountryB]

I would not bother replacing the factory Delco starter with some other design (like "gear reduction"). The starter spec'd by the engine builder is good. IMO. There are millions in use.

I would be testing batteries, and checking resistance in the battery cables and the remote starter solenoid, if your engine is slow to start.

But if you really want to, get the info off the starter tag (or go to Cummins website and enter the engine serial number to get the part number for the starter. From that you can figure out how many teeth the pinion has, and what series (i.e. "42MT") the starter is.

[Vanwill]

Mike (Country B) is right that there are thousands of those starters getting the job done. However, on my 2000 Dynasty with ISC-350 and grid-heaters, in spite of very heavy cabling and great connections, I always had the feeling it "just barely" started. Agreed, it never failed to start but always needed the grid-heaters working, and turned over excruciatingly slowly in really cold weather.

I replaced the factory Delco-Remy starter (in good condition) with the appropriately sized Denso (Japanese) gear-reduction starter. Engine spun over much faster and I never had that "Is it going to start?" feeling again. Inrush current was considerably less, and current while turning the engine over was also less, even though it was turning over much faster.

I did not pull my old starter to count teeth. The Denso website identified my application. The Denso starter is MUCH lighter.

Later, as part of a project to increase my house batteries to a total of 1000 AH, I removed the humongous 8D battery in the upper battery tray, and replaced it with two Group 31 batteries on the DS in the rear. Upgraded all the cables to 4/0 and now it spins over like a Honda. It will start WITHOUT grid heaters in 20* weather.

I have seen a Delco-Remy gear reduction starter, also. I don't know when they started making them.

I will agree it is not a "must do" item, but if you suspect you have a starter problem, I think the gear-reduction starter is a great replacement.