The starter died on my 85 GSL - 12A last week. I went to the parts store and bought a new starter but when I installed it, the gears wouldn't mesh. I took it back and when we compared it to the old starter, the gear on the end ws different. After comparing numbers on the nose cone, we finally matched it up to a differnet starter that worked, however according to the listing, it is for a 2nd gen 12A. How is the best way to tell if the motor in the car is the original one. Serial number ?

 

if im not mistaken all 12a starters area the same. and i dont think there is a serial number on our engines but i could be mistaken.

 

No such thing as a 12A Second Gen car. Do you mena the second generation of a 12A Engine?

 

All I know is the guy at the parts store said the one that worked is for a newer RX7 like a 86 or 87

 

probably someone swapped a second gen transmision in and thats why the starter doesn't match, or they bastardized the flywheel, does it have a raceing clutch or something like that?

kenn