Hoping for some 1989 Hardbody wisdom...

[dethtruk]

well now, where to begin...
1989 V6 4x4 automatic
VG30I
175000 miles
rusty...

so things began with starter problems. thinking the solenoid to be the culprit, i began trying to remove the starter...holy crap is it way down there! finally got to the bolts, and busted several sockets on em... if i got the bolts out, would i have to move the exhaust out of the way? but on top of all this, there is oil sprayed on everything. all over the starter. oil was changed about a month back, and the level is still good on the dipstick, but enough is getting out to gum things up good.
so it doesnt really make sense to put in a new starter to get covered in oil and burn out. i need to troubleshoot that, and see about taking it in maybe. a proper mechanic i am not...
there is a little fuller explanation in my posts on the nissan trucks forum, if that helps anyone.

i have a notion to get this truck back into shape, but its pretty shoestring over here

thanks for any help

[scaramoche]

well i have a 89 pathfinder, which is very similiar especially the front end, and engine. The starter is a pain in the arse to get out, my advice is use alot of extensions on ratchet. As for pulling the starter out, it does come, but it's a bit tricky. But verify that your starter relay is not the problem(it's on passanger side, near battery). As for oil leak, make sure you dont have a leak from the oilpan(a pain in the arse to replace) or even worse rear main seal.

[dethtruk]

hehe, im in the soup now...
i went by my proper mechanic's place today, where we decided that a. the oil was coming out of the valve cover gasket, and that it is a relatively minor leak. b. the oil on the starter is more likely coming from the filter, which is bound to happen to some degree. (after a month on the oil change, the level is still good.) c. it is definitely the starter/solenoid going out, needs to be pulled and rebuilt.
i got the two bolts off just now, and took a swing at wiggling it out of there. it kinda seems like i need to pull out the front exhaust pipe at the very least. or are you saying that it should come out all on its own there? im juicing up the bolts on the manifold just in case... sure dont wanna snap one of those off!
so, assuming i can worm that starter out of there, we might get back running here.
thanks for the input dude
is your pathfinder 4x4? it seems like its easier on the 2wds.

[dethtruk]

yeah, i think i've been lookin at this the wrong way. it seems like it needs to be pulled out towards the front, not the back, (past the front exhaust pipe A.) now its kinda lookin like all i need to do is remove the oil filter, then be able to spin it out and down. gonna take the wheel off in the am, oil filter, and probably snap off the plastic covers on the solenoid contacts, haha. im punching out for today, i'll fight this rascal some more after work... lets pull this mother!

[dethtruk]

Wha-powwww! got the starter out tonight after work. wow, it was looking grim last night man...needin a tow and what not...
thought id give it another shot, because i got a lot of movement out of it yesterday, finally got the connections off the solenoid, then solenoid off the starter, (seemed like a bad mistake at the time, when that spring popped off, but i thought it would buy me the clearance i would need.) the thing was dead anyway, so i wasnt really worried about messin it up. sadly, it was not enough...still couldnt twist it out. but then i got lucky on a pathfinder reply http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_re ... Pathfinder

this had some small details that made it happen. it turns out the heat shield is screwed onto the starter body, with three tiny philips head screws. really lame gettin them off with the starter loose, but i didnt even know they were there with all the gunk...heat shield off it pulled right out!
i did not need to drop the cross-member, as the wiki suggested. i did have to remove the oil filter and the passenger wheel. Crucial! so the starter is dropped off, waiting to be rebuilt. since im obviously not going anywhere, im drinkin becks and crown royal tonight! watching Balls of Fury...

ive got to think that putting the new one in cant be as bad as taking it out. im sure its possible, but im focused on saving a pile of money with this recent success...

again, any further input would be great. later