Questionreplacing a bad starter
AnswerHi Annabelle,
I'm not absolutely sure what your question is but here goes:
if its just a general question - your LR technician will swap out the old starter and install a new or rebuilt starter, depending on your request. A new starter is often the most expensive and should last many, many years. A rebuilt starter is less expensive and was dismantled and rebuilt using tested parts that work. Sometimes this parts are new, sometimes they are used but always they are working parts.
If you want another alternative, salvage yards do have replacement starters for even greater savings. Maybe 1/4 the price of a rebuilt and 1/10 the price of a new OEM part. Most reputable yards will bench test the starter before shipping it to you. Make sure they do this or it could be a costly mistake on your part. Most yards will also have a very limited warranty - 30 days is common.
Installation of a starter on a Disco is not an easy task. You'll need nimble fingers, a strong back and the right tools. A 3 foot long extension to you ratchet is very useful. Flexible ratchet sockets are nice too. Wrenches with gearheads that mimic ratchets could be useful.
Disconnect negative cable from battery, remove the heat shield from around the starter, remove the wire leads and bolts from the starter, carefully lower the starter from below. Installation is reverse.
This took me about 1.5 hours to perform. In addition, I spent 4 hours dismantling, repairing and reassembling the starter. Most LR dealers don't do this. They ship the starter out and have someone else do this for them.
The costs depend on where you live and how close you are to the part source. I rebuilt my starter for about $50. A jobber would rebuild a starter for about $350 - depending on whats wrong. LR would take that jobber work and buffer it with their costs (removal and installation) and present you with a much higher bill. Again, final charge depends on your dealer*.
Best of luck,
JohnMc
* Knowing what is involved in repairing a stater, I often get upset/angry/sick seeing what dealers charge for starter replacements. That's capitalism for you.
