vms4evr
11-26-2005, 10:45 PM
Replacing the starter on a 99 GA SE w/3400.
I didn't see this anywhere and I just finished doing it so I thought I'd post it. The explanation in the Haynes manual is rather poor.
Drive car up on ramps, put in Park, set Ebrake, and chock rear wheels.
Open the hood and leave it open. You might end up putting your drop light in from the top down near the oil filter to get better lighting.
Take a 5/16th wrench and remove negative terminal from battery.
Before you get under the car bring the following with you. A 5/16 wrench, a 10mm and 15mm wrench and socket, 3/8 drive ratchet, swivel-joint, 2" extension, 4" extension, and pliers. A 2" wobble extension if you happen to own one. A drop light.
Now get under the car and let's get dirty... :)
1. You need to loosen the 2 wing nuts that hold the plastic shroud that you normally pop loose to get at the oil filter. In this case you need to completly remove it. Now you can see and get at the starter and its wires.
2. Loosen nut on front of starter selenoid with 5/16 to remove small wire. Be careful it's small and will break. Remove the wire.
3. Loosen nut on front of starter selenoid with 10mm and remove both larger wires. That is all the wiring you need to remove.
4. There is a plastic gaurd that sits around the bottom of the flywheel and goes up the side by the starter. You need to remove it to get at the starter bolts. One bolt is on the bottom of the engine under the starter. Use the ratchet with 10m socket and remove it. The other is on the side of the starter. You have to go in through the space where the shroud was removed to get it. Use a 10mm wrench and remove it. Once both bolts are removed just pull the gaurd down and out.
5. The starter has 2 bolts. Note that the bolts have a knearled body so once the threads are backed out they won't just drop out. Take ratchet with 4" extension and 15mm socket. The bolt that is under the car near the flywheel. It is easy to get at. Break it loose and back it out a few turns. But do not remove. We're going to let the starter hang by this bolt.
6. Now you'll need the 15mm wrench and have to go through the opening where the shroud was removed to get the 2nd bolt. You might get lucky with a 2" wobble extension if you want to try it. Loosen it until the threads are no longer in place and the starter moves around some. Remember it has a knearled body so it won't just drop out.
7. Now go back to the 1st bolt and back it all the way out while holding the starter underneath with one hand. Just so the starter doesn't drop and/or you don't mess up the threads on the remaining bolt removing it.
8. Now pull the starter out of that opening the shroud covered. It comes out easily. Now you have it removed.
Installation is the reverse.
Note: You'll need to hold the weight of the starter with one hand and keep it lined up while you start threading one of the bolts into place. You pick whichever is easier for you. I found doing the short one first was easier for me.
This was about a 2 hour job for me as I've never done it on this car and the manual was useless.
Congratulations. You just saved yourself about $150 in labor.
I didn't see this anywhere and I just finished doing it so I thought I'd post it. The explanation in the Haynes manual is rather poor.
Drive car up on ramps, put in Park, set Ebrake, and chock rear wheels.
Open the hood and leave it open. You might end up putting your drop light in from the top down near the oil filter to get better lighting.
Take a 5/16th wrench and remove negative terminal from battery.
Before you get under the car bring the following with you. A 5/16 wrench, a 10mm and 15mm wrench and socket, 3/8 drive ratchet, swivel-joint, 2" extension, 4" extension, and pliers. A 2" wobble extension if you happen to own one. A drop light.
Now get under the car and let's get dirty... :)
1. You need to loosen the 2 wing nuts that hold the plastic shroud that you normally pop loose to get at the oil filter. In this case you need to completly remove it. Now you can see and get at the starter and its wires.
2. Loosen nut on front of starter selenoid with 5/16 to remove small wire. Be careful it's small and will break. Remove the wire.
3. Loosen nut on front of starter selenoid with 10mm and remove both larger wires. That is all the wiring you need to remove.
4. There is a plastic gaurd that sits around the bottom of the flywheel and goes up the side by the starter. You need to remove it to get at the starter bolts. One bolt is on the bottom of the engine under the starter. Use the ratchet with 10m socket and remove it. The other is on the side of the starter. You have to go in through the space where the shroud was removed to get it. Use a 10mm wrench and remove it. Once both bolts are removed just pull the gaurd down and out.
5. The starter has 2 bolts. Note that the bolts have a knearled body so once the threads are backed out they won't just drop out. Take ratchet with 4" extension and 15mm socket. The bolt that is under the car near the flywheel. It is easy to get at. Break it loose and back it out a few turns. But do not remove. We're going to let the starter hang by this bolt.
6. Now you'll need the 15mm wrench and have to go through the opening where the shroud was removed to get the 2nd bolt. You might get lucky with a 2" wobble extension if you want to try it. Loosen it until the threads are no longer in place and the starter moves around some. Remember it has a knearled body so it won't just drop out.
7. Now go back to the 1st bolt and back it all the way out while holding the starter underneath with one hand. Just so the starter doesn't drop and/or you don't mess up the threads on the remaining bolt removing it.
8. Now pull the starter out of that opening the shroud covered. It comes out easily. Now you have it removed.
Installation is the reverse.
Note: You'll need to hold the weight of the starter with one hand and keep it lined up while you start threading one of the bolts into place. You pick whichever is easier for you. I found doing the short one first was easier for me.
This was about a 2 hour job for me as I've never done it on this car and the manual was useless.
Congratulations. You just saved yourself about $150 in labor.