After toasting 4 stock starters I feel my choices are a cranky kit or a reduction gear starter. Has anybody used the cranky kit? Feedback?

Yep , got one in my Baja Bus which starts a 3.3 litre subaru 6 , which struggled to be started at all with the stock 2 lt jobby
Many others being used out of our shop here in Brissy including stockers to higher compresion performance motors .

Yup - I use one in my race bug... 10.97:1 1916 type 1... and it turns over no worries at all, whether hot, cold, rainy... whatever really, tho admittedly haven't tried snow yet

Used to run one of those "hi torque" jobby's and always had probs... first of all I don't think it span the engine fast enough, and second the voltage drop while cranking would upset the electronic ignition.

Put the cranky kit in with just a used EJ starter (from CVD - thanks ) and both problems solved... now starts virtually as soon as turn the key.

Can't recommend 'em highly enough really !!!

Yes I have one turning my EJ22 and I have one coming for my Kombi. Great modification.

please excuse my ignorance,,, but what`s a "cranky-Kit" consist of???

cranky kits - two choices "the kit" consists of a cnc machined adaptor plate, hybrid pinion to suit 12v ringgears, nuts + bolts etc assembly and fitting instructions and an all important bumper sticker......these make them run better

second alternative for guys who dont wanna get their hands dirty - the complete kit consisting of everything as above and a bench tested second hand starter which has had the new hybrid pinion pre installed.

I welcome the D.I.Yers but knowing that a lot of guys dont fancy pulling apart starters as they can be a little tricky to pull apart.....the saying can of worms springs to mind

think of the cranky kit much the same as the adaptor plate and flywheel to convert a vw to run a subi motor......
while start up cost may seem a little high... when it comes to replace the starter (not that you should need to replace as they are very serviceable units) these starters are getting more and more common with imported cars flooding the wreckers and aussie roads....they are getting cheaper and cheaper and parts are easy to find at any auto electrician....last time i looked cranky kits were actually cheaper then buying a new or reco genuine vw starter....

the subi starters aka nippon denso are extremely efficient as they are a geared reduction starter....the motors are smaller have more windings and starting current is less on start up....which means it will kick your car over for longer unlike the old sluggish vw bosch units which only give a small number of starts before draining your battery and get hot enough to fry an egg.....because they spin faster subaru ecu's in my experience dont produce as many faults caused by slow starting rpms....
these nippon denso starters are also self supporting which means no more worn bronze bushes to replace in your bell housing.......they dont use them so forget about them....

because of the way in which they bolt up to your bellhousing they make it a bit easier to pull the starter on and off (not that you will need too) as the two bolts holding the starter on are easily accessible with an allen key......no more trying to spin a spanner in the dark hoping to turn it 3 degrees before flipping it over and repeating 300 times to get the starter off

being a gear reduction starter the sound of your vw starting will sound like a new car not a 40 or 50 year old car

I currently run one in my EJ22 converted Manx and also one in my daily driver T3 kombi running an EJ25 quadcam

they can be purchased in person from
Custom Vee Dub
28 Hayward St
Stafford QLD
Ph 07 33564356

or online @ http://www.crankykits.com.au  with the use of paypal if your not in the brissy area

there are two types ck001 which will replace a 2L or 091 starter

and then there is the ck002 which replaces beetle + 1600 + 1800 kombi starters....
please specify which motor you are running eg vw power or non vw (adapted) as this may change what is sent bolts,instructions etc

I have just supplied one to a gentleman who has succesfully installed one in an EJ25 powered synchro....although please note the heater lines may need to be re-routed out of the way....