I put a Delco rebuilt starter on my '93 Ranger w/3.0L (or had it put on due to one bolt I could not deal with—your know the one) in late 2005. It has held up the way I would expect a Delco product to hold up.

It's beginning to slow down these days, working harder to turn. I checked battery today: it reads 12.6 volts, meaning fully charged.

After some calls to area parts stores, the best I can locate is a Remy rebuilt. I always considered Delco-Remy to be the same thing, but maybe nowadays it's not.

Can anyone vouch for the quality and endurance of a Remy rebuilt starter vs. Delco? -thx

Variable. Remy can be just as bad as other aftermarket company products. Rebuilts are pretty much rebuilts in my experience. You can actually rebuild it yourself really easily. More than likely the contacts are just dirty, and worst case probably needs new brushes. $10 on eBay and some sandpaper and it'll be good to go.

When you remove the oil filter on that engine some oil runs right over the starter. After time its gets gunked up inside, and after the many starts yours has, the brushes as well as the bushings will be worn. worn bushing will cause the armature to rub on the fields causing drag, but yeah, you can rebuild it yourself.

Thanks to both of you. tomboy, I change the oil/filter myself and have always made a practice of letting the truck sit overnight before doing that. I really believe that the oil cools overnight and shrinks in the filter, so that when I spin it off, not one drop gets away. Works every time.

I've tried getting a p/n for those brushes, but the Ford site is confusing - too much info. Also, I don't know what other sundry parts I would need to get the thing back together properly. Washers? Seals? Etc.?

You want to change your oil with the engine warned up. That is how you get the dirt and crap out of the engine the crap gets suspended in the warm oil and then you drain it out. Cover the starter with something.

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Rockauto has a good selection. TYC delivered for $60

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2004 Ext Cab, 4WD, 4.0, Auto, 154k. (4.0 engine is out of a 2009 Ranger w/96k) ( as of 7/1/2017)

2004 Ranger, Ext Cab, 2WD, 3.0, 5 speed , 4WABS, crank windows, no cruise, Edge 116k.(6/5,2014) (SOLD).
1999 Ford Ranger, Reg Cab, 2.5, 5 speed, 2WD, no AC, 150k (SOLD).

You might not even need new ones. You may just need to clean the contacts. It's a free try that's only worth your time. Usually brushes aren't near worn out, but you'll know when you get in there. I'd also do a thorough check of my ground connections before I dove in there.

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You also won't need any new seals or anything to put it back together.