so 3 staarters later and 200 bucks, nothing seems to work! Help

I am super frustrated! I bought a starter at Napa and installed it. Tried to start van today and starter just spun like it was engaging the flywheel. I tried it a couple times more and it worked sometimes and others it just spun....so i went for new starter, getting the wrong one which i returned and got a new starter that just spun and ddidnt work either. Please help me find the right starter, i need it for a 69 slant 6 with 3 on tree....Did i miss something or are my local parts dealers just morons? I dont have the old starter...gave it to someone to rebuild and never got it back..go figure. Please help me!!!

All the mopars starters (from about 1962 until the 1980's) are basically the same. You can get a Mopar Performance mini starter (Japanese made) and I'm sure other people make them too, like the Napa one. I'm betting the Napa one is just a piece of shit and you should either go to your local Chrysler dealer or any used parts place and find a basic good old fashioned starter, unless you require the mini starter.

I bought a mini one at Carlisle one year from a dealer, not sure what made it is but it was about $100. You can find a regular one for $5-10 just about anywhere in the swap meet area. Any used parts place should have a pile of them.

Here's some good info here...

http://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/electrical3-starters.html

Good luck!

if it's a newer nippondenso starter they "should " word but only if its from a 318/ 5.2, 360/ 5.9 engine. the newer ones might only work on the automatic transmission vehicles. there is lots of these starters that look the same but the depth of the drive is different. this is the distance the drive moves out to engage the ring gear on your flywheel.the standard flywheel might also be the problem. where is the starter in relation to the oil pan bolts, above them or below - beside them?? this tell me if your van has an adapter plate. i have seen them on six cylinger engines with a manual trans.go to an older parts store that might have an old style reduction gear starter in stock " old stock " and use it.
if you place a straight edge across the two bolt holes where the starter mounts and measure in to the bottom of the "snout hole " and subtract about 3/4 of an inch. this will tell you if the ones you are using are going in deep enough or if the drive moves out far enough to contact the flywheel. the gear on the drive will have to move about an inch anyway to engage the ring gear on the flywheel. good luck

I am gonna take the new one off and just try somewhere else...i can believe that 2 different people got it wrong. before the starter failed it ran and drove up and down the street so if it hasnt benn moved and its been in my garage since then i wouold assume the flywheel is fine./

JKR... Thanks for the point about the spacer.... I'm about to put a "newer" /6 in my '67 pickup and would've had starting problems since the /6 came out of a duster with no spacer.

it's where the starter mounts thats different not the engine. the starter always mounts to the trans or bellhousing in a dodge. can't think of one application that actually bolts to the block like a chev. the cast plate between the engine and trans usually has provisions for both high and low starter mount if memory serves me correctly. therefore you bolt your starter to the trans case in either the high or low position. this applys mostly for the automatic equipped trucks and vans. standard were usually high and 727 auto were always low ( v-8 case ). although i do have a fairly rare 727 slant six automatic case somewhere in the garage. its a top mount starter.
so remember this.......... if you use the plate between the engine and trans make sure you use the proper spacers to install the flywheel to crankshaft. this is where you will get non functioning starters. if you don't your torque converter will not engage the front pump (auto) or you don't have enough adjustment for the clutch linkage (standard).