Thread: Starter replacement tips, tricks, anything because this sucks balls!!

Sorry but I had to LOL at this.
Man this is the worlds toughest starter install. I had to put 3 in my car over the last month due to them all being from random engines and parts cars ...never a single issue...this is crazy!!

Haha. Yeah, stressing out. I have access to an air hammer and chisel. Do you think the rattling might help it pop off the flywheel? Would the oxidation cause this much problems releasing it? This is a salt belt car.

I will say what the others have said. I am 99% sure you are forgetting a bolt. There are two bolts, and they both come out on the battery side. I don't know what you're talking about when you say you removed a bolt from the starter housing. That makes no sense. Both starert bolts go through the transmission, into the starter housing from the battery side. There is a transmission bolt RIGHT above the top starter bolt which is probably what you removed thinking it was a starter bolt but it is not. Both starter bolts are quite long, and have 14mm heads. They are both the same length. I am quite sure you left one in there.

If this is not the case, and you actually have removed both bolts. Then thread both bolts back in a bit, and hammer against them to drive the starter out?

This is not rocket surgery.

Yeah, if the proper bolts are removed that starter should fall out like shit from a goose.

Maybe I took out the wrong bolts. They are def the same length and 14 mm. I'll waste more of my life tonight checking it out.

I recently replaced a starter on my SE-R, it was the original 1993 starter so it also took some effort to remove. I double-checked to make sure I indeed removed the correct 14mm bolts (my first time replacing a SE-R starter with the engine in the car!), then gave the starter a few whacks with a hammer. Very carefully hammered with a thin pry-bar at the mating surface - maybe not the greatest idea but it worked! The starter finally backed out and fell down. I assume it's a similar layout in your 1999 SE-L, it's all a little awkward to access but it's doable!

Bump for updates.

Thanks for all the help guys!

I have not been able to work on the car the past couple days, but I'm going to attack it tomorrow with a buddy.

Plan of attack:

- take car off stands and rock it back and forth in multiple gears

- ensure proper bolts have been removed

- I have a thin pry and a putty knife to ensure I can fit it in the small seam to attempt to pry

- if by this step I can't remove it I will throw in the towel, drink heavily, and call a rip off....um, I mean shop to do the work.

Thankfully I have a buddy who can hook me up with a cheap tow, and a shop not too far to do the work for about $100. Not too much, but I have never been so frustrated with what I consider to be a basic consumable repair.

Again, thanks all. This place rocks!

Oh, @Bubs, the b14 and some g20s have a pointless y shaped bracket which literally covers the starter from view. Just removing that took some whiskey, thought, and cussing. I hope it's a bolt, though. Trying to be positive lol.

I will update thread when tomorrow when I am done!

Update us with your BAC level, if removal fails. Thanks.....

I have a pic of the bolts, but don't know how to post them from my iPad. Can anyone help?

Also, here is the link for my reference for which bolts I removed. They are circled in the pic in post 3 or 4:

P11 Starter Replacement Removal Tips!!