Weak, nearly dead 717 starter - Black OEM housing on silver engine?

[lagojaguarasp]

Bought a 01 GS last year and the starter kept getting weaker and weaker and now its time... Only now i've noticed that the while the 717 engine in this GS silver the starter housing is glossy black. Not sure if it should be. So I think removing the tuned pipe, while maybee not necessary, i would make it a lot easier to reach the starter. So do you guys use torque wrenches to deal with these exhaust nuts? Should the OEM starter for this engine be black?

 

[mikidymac]

The starter should be the same color as the engine from the factory.
All aftermarket starters are black and 99.9% of them are junk so yours has been changed.

Are you sure it isn't the battery? Check and clean all cables and connections as the cables rot from the inside out.

I don't remove the pipe to do starters but it ain't easy.

Make sure you have the rear starter mount bracket. It doesn't fit most aftermarket starters so people leave it off but then the starters fall apart.

Yes, absolutely use a torque wrench on all pipe bolts.

 

[lagojaguarasp]

The starter should be the same color as the engine from the factory.
All aftermarket starters are black and 99.9% of them are junk so yours has been changed.

Are you sure it isn't the battery? Check and clean all cables and connections as the cables rot from the inside out.

I don't remove the pipe to do starters but it ain't easy.

Make sure you have the rear starter mount bracket. It doesn't fit most aftermarket starters so people leave it off but then the starters fall apart.

Yes, absolutely use a torque wrench on all pipe bolts.

Thanks for the reply!
Really disapointing to find that the OEM starter is gone!
I had just charged the battery before my last attempt to start the ski cable and connectors look fine and got just a little warm after several attempts. The starter however got too hot to touch!! So I believe it is getting good power but unable to perform. Since i will remove this starter anyway a will check the cables too as suggested.
So you are able to get the starter out on the 717 by only removing the exhaust cone right? I assume you use a extender.

 

[mikidymac]

Have you tried removing the sparkplugs and turning the engine over by hand to make sure something is not dragging or damaged?