Well this sucks!

my first vehicle was a 1970 Ford F100 with a 302 V8 a three on the tree and a 3.70 rear axle ratio.
It got 11.7 miles per us Gallon on the highway. My 2019 GMC Seirra 1500 just shy of 24 miles per gallon
on the highway using the cruise control at 60 MPH.

Enga’s have zero pity on those that buy or work on their infinitely back killing mind numbing designs. They come up with the inGenieass designs to intimidate other Engas into doing far worse to
Prove they can or that it can be sent there!!!

Years ago working for A Kenworth dealer when Meritor Automatic slack adjusters were new and brake chambers with welded clevises were new. We had to replace brake chambers with that came with welded clevises with threaded ones as and there was an adjustment issue. If I remember correctly. I called Meritor's tech support line and the person that answered said: "Hey the engineer that designed the automatic slack adjuster is here I will let you speak with him". Gary the engineer was a really nice helpful person but he could not grasp what I was trying to explain to him.
He told me: "I have no idea what a brake chamber is".

Funny, the Nuke was designed by Several Engineering firms, The Reactor Plant and base structure from one, The Primary facilities structure for the Radiological equipment. Control Building and Diesel Back up structure then the Turbine Hall. NONE of which had Direct leading access companionways or connecting doors at main floors except at grade. What a Cluster Fk as to finding your way around in the facility, worse than a Hamster Habitat for Humans. Was as if NONE of these people ever spoke to each other on interconnections.

cuttin edge said:

Well, every time I have ever had to replace a starter on my own vehicle, and I must admit, it has probably been 3 in all the cars and trucks I have owned, it has always been in the dead of winter, and I have no garage. Bad enough to lay out in the cold on the ground, an pull a few bolts, let alone start pulling a center head, or transmission like the one in the picture.

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Thats because the worst thing you can do to a starter is feed it low voltage. So by the time you combine an older battery, cold temperatures lowering the available power in the battery, and cold oil making the engine difficult to turn over starters die easily.

I like that engineer story above. Yeah typical of engineering and manufacturing nowadays. I've said it before they just work on their little area and have no idea what the big picture is. Its all done on a computer, they probably wouldn't even know what it is if they saw it in metal form. Not even close to the high intellect of the engineers of old.

Now for the under the intake manifold starters, personal experience on Toyota 1UZFE engine (LS400), someone here says no big deal sorta. Well it all depends on how wealthy you are I would say, I don't know what book time is for the R and R of the starter, and some will brag how zippy fast they are at doing them, yeah some hot talking part busting kid at a dealer maybe, or at an independent shop. Still that is not normally a savings to the owner but just more $ to the supposed quicky mechanic beating book time. Oh and many times there is more than just a few gaskets to replace, it could end up being a wire harness because of the many heat treated connectors that break if you look at them the wrong way, or the very nasty bolts that can take awhile to remove you know the normal well designed for mechanics stuff.
I could change 10 or 20 starters in other vehicles I'm familiar with before I could change one in that Lexus. So if your doing this type of work for money which would be a better deal?

I've found that putting a solenoid kit (plunger and contacts) into the newer reduction gear starters around 120,000kms (75,000 miles) will fix starter problems for the remainder of the starter life.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/185580791755
The old low-speed, high torque, direct drive starters usually needed front and rear armature bushings, and a new solenoid, to keep them going.
Maniac Electric Motors is one of the best electrical supply companies I've dealt with, and they seem to be able to supply electrical parts for nearly anything.
Their website is one of the best around for layout, ease of use, and technical and P/No information.

The ND starter in my skid steer is a pain for the contacts arcing and not wanting to turn the engine over. Original was pretty good. Had it rebuilt with all genuine ND parts by the ND distributor. Started acting up within 3 month's. I sanded the contacts and added an extra ground cable from a starter bolt to the frame and it seems to have helped. It's a pain if you shut it off and it won't start the engine back up.

JD955SC said:

starting point, hell the code/computer will happily send you down the completely wrong path. But the general public thinks “hey the computer tells you what to fix”

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Hey, that's where the skill comes in, figuring out where the computer is wrong.