So I have a bum starter and need to get it replaced, so I bought an O'Reilly's rebuilt one for like 110 or something. Anyway, I get under my car and am trying to figure out how the hell to get to the upper bolt. Doesn't look possible to me, but I could be very wrong. Also, there are three holes on the starter for bolts. One side (the bottom side) has two holes, the upper has one. On my two bottom holes (on the bum starter that is still on the car) one is empty (no bolt) and the other looks like there is just a stud in it, no bolt head at all. I decided I think I am gonna wait till labor day weekend to replace it, cuz that's when I am doing the clutch.
Little side note also. Never ever ever bump your arm on a really really hot catalytic converter. This is what it looks like:
Burn
P.S. IMG tags should be turned on damnit!!
Starter Replacement and Burns
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PabloHoney
- Posts: 335
- Joined: Sat Jul 27, 2002 9:06 am
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93/ Automatic anyone know what tool to use to get that top 14mm bolt? I lowered the transmission like they said on 240sx.org but need more tips.I did this 18 months ago but dont have the foggiest how I did it once breaking the torque. 14mm tilt head socket broke it free, but the clicks are too far apart in the limited space to crank this biotch out... very frustrated.
im not too sure cause its been awhile but i think we( my uncle and i) just put a little power into it and it finally broke loose.we went from the top of the engine bay and just pushed down real hard on the socket and it finally broke loose,but it takes forever to finally twist it off, cause theres no room to.sorry but its a *****to do.
Ok I remembered the secret,once the top bolt is loose, wiggle the starter with your right hand and finger out that bolt with your left, its much, much faster that way.
tools needed, jack, stands, 14mm socketangle head reversible 3/8s drive ratchet wrench 14mm gear wrench™various lubes and wd40
jack car up and put it on stands, put a 2x4 under the transmission pan and jack it up till it touches, then remove the 4bolts on the transmission bracket, gently lower the transmission 2-3" so there is more room to work on the top bolt.
next, disconnect the battery completelyremove the 12 or 13mm nut on the big wire on the starter and unplug the little wire.
now climb under and LOOSEN but dont remove the bottom bolt its 14mm, no extension needed. also loosen any tie wraps on any harnesses in the way.
now place a drop light down low near the firewall and hang it on the little metal pipes so it illuminates the top nut (aka the biotch)
take a long craftsman angling head ratchet and click it once so it looks like a toothbrush shape (20') and wrap electrical tape around the joint so it doesnt lose that position. put the 14mm socket on it.place the socket over the top nut and break it free, until the ratchet clicks or length limits your movement. now get it looser using a 14mm gear wrench, its shorter than a ratchet so it goes quicker , but its still one click per strokk now reach down with your right hand and WIGGLE The starter while backing out the top nut with your left hand. when it comes out climb underneath and remove the bottm bolt and pull starter down through the bottom and return it for your core charge. installation is the same, put bottom one in LOOSE first , like one Cm. sticking out then work in the top one till its too hard for finger, then gear wrench, then the big wrench. then throw everything else back together.
Autozone kudos, I got a free replacement !! and it only was the small wire that cause the problems so their rebuild in general was a good one. the new rebuild I was issued had much better soldering on the little wire and a beefier 13mm on the big wire connector. Both where Hitachi rebuilts. This time I sealed the small wire solder and the water drain tube with black RTV (to hold the tube in tight- not to close it off! and spray painted the whole unit for more water protection, hopefully it will last the life of my 93 now.
tools needed, jack, stands, 14mm socketangle head reversible 3/8s drive ratchet wrench 14mm gear wrench™various lubes and wd40
jack car up and put it on stands, put a 2x4 under the transmission pan and jack it up till it touches, then remove the 4bolts on the transmission bracket, gently lower the transmission 2-3" so there is more room to work on the top bolt.
next, disconnect the battery completelyremove the 12 or 13mm nut on the big wire on the starter and unplug the little wire.
now climb under and LOOSEN but dont remove the bottom bolt its 14mm, no extension needed. also loosen any tie wraps on any harnesses in the way.
now place a drop light down low near the firewall and hang it on the little metal pipes so it illuminates the top nut (aka the biotch)
take a long craftsman angling head ratchet and click it once so it looks like a toothbrush shape (20') and wrap electrical tape around the joint so it doesnt lose that position. put the 14mm socket on it.place the socket over the top nut and break it free, until the ratchet clicks or length limits your movement. now get it looser using a 14mm gear wrench, its shorter than a ratchet so it goes quicker , but its still one click per strokk now reach down with your right hand and WIGGLE The starter while backing out the top nut with your left hand. when it comes out climb underneath and remove the bottm bolt and pull starter down through the bottom and return it for your core charge. installation is the same, put bottom one in LOOSE first , like one Cm. sticking out then work in the top one till its too hard for finger, then gear wrench, then the big wrench. then throw everything else back together.
Autozone kudos, I got a free replacement !! and it only was the small wire that cause the problems so their rebuild in general was a good one. the new rebuild I was issued had much better soldering on the little wire and a beefier 13mm on the big wire connector. Both where Hitachi rebuilts. This time I sealed the small wire solder and the water drain tube with black RTV (to hold the tube in tight- not to close it off! and spray painted the whole unit for more water protection, hopefully it will last the life of my 93 now.