OEM Starter Manufacturer

Does anyone know who the manufacturer is for the OEM Toyota starter on the 5.7l V8?

I know for my old 4runner, Denso was the manufacturer. I am just curious if that is still the case.

Backstory is my starter shit out on me yesterday, leaving me stranded at work (178k Miles).

I found the OEM starter here (brand new): https://parts.toyota.com/p/Toyota_2007_Tundra/STARTER-ASSEMBLY/63041485/281000S050.html

Then I found the re-manufactured OEM here: https://parts.toyota.com/p/Toyota_2007_Tundra/STARTER---REMFG/69293871/281005010184.html

Then I found this at RockAuto: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=4717347&cc=1438333

The price difference between the OEM reman and new is significant, but not so significant between the OEM reman and the Denso reman.

I am pretty sure Denso makes them for Toyota anyway. Anybody have any opinions on the route I should take?

Also and advice on changing this out myself?

Thank you!

 

Yeah, I looked at the auto parts store's stuff, and am not going to go with any of their crap, as this job is too difficult to have to redo because the part was crap.

However I am pretty sure the re-manufactured Denso unit at RockAuto, is the same thing as the OEM remanufactured unit (looking at the label on the picture, I see it says Denso). https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=4717347&cc=1438333

 

Yep. That RockAuto Denso reman appears to be the real deal. I've had favorable experience with RockAuto. Replacing that starter is going to be fun...

 

Indeed it will be a fun job full of lots of cussing! I must curse the Toyota Engineers for putting the starter under the Exhaust manifold. I am sure they had their reasons, but it still is annoying.

I did find a few Youtube videos on how to complete the job without removing the exhaust manifold here, I might try that out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuHaObpEt_E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagZCxeSspk

 

So I started on this yesterday, got about 1.5 hours of work in.

So far this is where I am at:

- Jacked up Truck and removed Passenger wheel
- Removed the outer rubber flaps and one of the heat shields
- Removed 6 of the 7 12mm nuts from the Exhaust manifold
- Removed 3 of the 4 10mm nuts from the exhaust manifold and EGR bypass.
- Broke the Exhaust pipe nuts loose and removed the o2 sensor connector

Now I have a question.

Should I buy a new exhaust manifold gasket or can I just reuse the old one?

 

I think it is a flange type metal gasket. I haven't pulled it yet.

It's funny, I never found myself cussing out the ol girl before, but yesterday, there was much cussing!

 

Progress so far:

Yesterday in about 1.5 Hours I completed the following:

- Fully Removed Exhaust manifold (There are 7 - 12mm Nuts and 4 - 10mm nuts holding it on)
- Removed Catalytic converter (Unclipping the o2 sensor connectors was the toughest part of this job)
- Removed dipstick shaft supportive bolt, didn't have to fully remove the dipstick tube thankfully.
- Removed starter
- Had Starter tested at Autozone, just for the hell of it. That was entertaining... It took 3 Autozone techs 20 minutes to figure out how to hook it up.

Key observations:

1. The starter has already been replaced, prior to when I purchased it at 120K miles.
2. He replaced it himself with a NAPA brand Re-manufactured unit.
3. Toyota Shit the bed on the location of the starter.

To do Today:

- Polish and clean exhaust Manifold
- Clean and oil all Nuts and Bolts
- Pick up new starter from Fedex

To Do Tomorrow:

- Install new starter
- Start truck for just a few seconds to verify it works before re-assembling
- Install all remaining components
- Peel out down the road, in a lap of smoke-filled victory!

I would not say it is a difficult process to understand, it is just very tedious and time-consuming.

Also, if anyone is interested, I can write up a detailed guide on the process.

 

Wedge a heatshield between it and the manifold. Did it all the time on our pontiacs with headers. Starters would get heatsoaked and would have to push start it or wait till it cooled off. Other option back then was to relocate the solenoid usually installing a ford unit..we’d just bend a piece of flat aluminum and wedge it between.

 

..Wedge whatever you need to in a ford..
I'd prefer to Attach , secure, bolt , etc.. words of Graceful Discipline in pioneering bold Mechanical engineering and Altercation with Respect to these Machines Aye ?