Will a first gen starter work on a 2nd gen gxl???

 

N/A manual trans starters are interchangeable with each other. Even though they all have different size gears on 'em, they still work. Mazda voodoo or something.

I suspect N/A automatic starters are interchangeable with each other, too, but haven't had the opportunity to test that out

 

YEah, I tried a FC n/a starter in my FB- it fit, but never actually tried it. -Just checking as I got it free, and wanted a spare. Only thing I noticed different, is the long bolt coming through from the engine is not long enough. Needs to be about 1/2inch longer, and it does not thread into the starter, a nut is used - I am not sure- the starter may have been hacked if the threads were stripped.

 

Good point. I have an FC starter in mine, as it was the only thing available to me at the time. (I just prefer the *sound* of the SA starter ... tee hee) and I had to get a piece of all-thread and put a nut on both sides for the top mounting.

Had to rebuild the starter twice in the past couple months. The first time, the brushes rusted to the brush carrier. Took forever to work apart. Today, failure #2... the brushes rusted to the brush carrier again. This time I took the brushes OUT, cleaned, filed as much rust as I could find, and used a ginormous amount of silicone grease on the brushes. I chalk the second one up to not doing a thorough enough job of cleaning and lubing.