Also, how do I get at those bolts? The heads are on the "difficult side" of the firewall and I'm not sure how I'll get my sockets in there...
Starter Removal
-
joelittel
- Patron 2018
- Posts: 1013
- Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:53 pm
- Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 FI
- Location: Evanston, IL
Starter Removal
I am replacing my starter and need advice on how to remove it. Are there three bolts holding it in place? I believe I have found two of them, but have not yet jacked up the car and crawled under it to find the third.
Also, how do I get at those bolts? The heads are on the "difficult side" of the firewall and I'm not sure how I'll get my sockets in there...
Also, how do I get at those bolts? The heads are on the "difficult side" of the firewall and I'm not sure how I'll get my sockets in there...
Last edited by joelittel on Sun Nov 01, 2015 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
Jimb
- Posts: 740
- Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 1:03 am
- Your car is a: 1985.5 Volumex
Re: Starter Removal
Getting the bolts out is easy compared to finding the room the physically lift the starter our of the engine compartment.
If you're pulling the engine, then leave it on until the engine is out.
Also I would highly recommend replacing the starter with a gear reduction starter from Autoricambi. It's an excellent upgrade.
Jim
If you're pulling the engine, then leave it on until the engine is out.
Also I would highly recommend replacing the starter with a gear reduction starter from Autoricambi. It's an excellent upgrade.
Jim
-
FiatMac
- Posts: 290
- Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 1:14 pm
- Your car is a: 1982 2000 Spider
- Location: Salisbury, North Carolina
Re: Starter Removal
Yes there are three bolts. The search function of this site is your friend. Type "starter removal" in the search and you will find all the info you need.
Stan McConnell
Retired Mechanical Engineer
Salisbury, North Carolina
82 2000 Spider (driving)
78 124 Spider on the rotisserie
76 124 Spider parts car or possible Lemons racer
83 parts car
Retired Mechanical Engineer
Salisbury, North Carolina
82 2000 Spider (driving)
78 124 Spider on the rotisserie
76 124 Spider parts car or possible Lemons racer
83 parts car
-
joelittel
- Patron 2018
- Posts: 1013
- Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:53 pm
- Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 FI
- Location: Evanston, IL
Re: Starter Removal
Been searching and think I know what I'm up against.
I was hoping for one of those lightning fast "here's how it's done " responses before I went out to the garage and got into it.
I was hoping for one of those lightning fast "here's how it's done " responses before I went out to the garage and got into it.
-
bobplyler
- Patron 2022
- Posts: 823
- Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:58 pm
- Your car is a: 1979 spider 2000
- Location: Charlotte, NC
Re: Starter Removal
And MUCH easier to install.Jimb wrote:Also I would highly recommend replacing the starter with a gear reduction starter from Autoricambi. It's an excellent upgrade.
1979 Fiat Spider (since new)
2005 Lincoln LS (the wife's car)
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier (daily driver)
1999 Honda Shadow VLX 600
1972 Grumman Traveller 5895L (long gone).
2005 Lincoln LS (the wife's car)
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier (daily driver)
1999 Honda Shadow VLX 600
1972 Grumman Traveller 5895L (long gone).
-
philoutch
Re: Starter Removal
a disaster, awful from my point of view !!! you have to be good contortionist 
just be patient ...
just be patient ...-
joelittel
- Patron 2018
- Posts: 1013
- Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:53 pm
- Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 FI
- Location: Evanston, IL
Re: Starter Removal
So, it turns out that removing the starter isn't really so bad after all.
I jacked the front of the car up nice and high so I had plenty of room to move around under there. Bought two universal joints for my socket set, as well as a few extensions of various lengths. I seated the socket, universal joint and at least one extension, on the bolt head from above (almost everything has been removed from my engine bay to make extra room) then once under the car I connected the handle and slowly worked the bolt out. The first few cranks of the handle were tough but once I found my sweet spot I was able to break them all free.
Seating the socket from above (for the top two bolts) allowed me to see what I was doing and develop a plan for how to stack up my extensions and universal joints. Once the extensions hung down under the car low enough for me to get the ratchet on it was just a matter of torquing until they broke free.
I also started early with the PB Blaster. Meaning, over two weeks ago, as I was disassembling the engine bay I was spraying bolts with penetrating oil as they became accessible and I continued spraying them every couple days until they were removed.
Much to my surprise the bolts connecting the bell housing to the block were much the same. It took a while, and was a bit fiddly but all-in-all I think my experience wasn't so bad compared to some I've read. I attribute my success to having 2+ weeks for the PB Blaster to work it's magic.
I'll be replacing my stock starter with a gear reduction starter, which as everyone says is quite a bit smaller and lighter.
I jacked the front of the car up nice and high so I had plenty of room to move around under there. Bought two universal joints for my socket set, as well as a few extensions of various lengths. I seated the socket, universal joint and at least one extension, on the bolt head from above (almost everything has been removed from my engine bay to make extra room) then once under the car I connected the handle and slowly worked the bolt out. The first few cranks of the handle were tough but once I found my sweet spot I was able to break them all free.
Seating the socket from above (for the top two bolts) allowed me to see what I was doing and develop a plan for how to stack up my extensions and universal joints. Once the extensions hung down under the car low enough for me to get the ratchet on it was just a matter of torquing until they broke free.
I also started early with the PB Blaster. Meaning, over two weeks ago, as I was disassembling the engine bay I was spraying bolts with penetrating oil as they became accessible and I continued spraying them every couple days until they were removed.
Much to my surprise the bolts connecting the bell housing to the block were much the same. It took a while, and was a bit fiddly but all-in-all I think my experience wasn't so bad compared to some I've read. I attribute my success to having 2+ weeks for the PB Blaster to work it's magic.
I'll be replacing my stock starter with a gear reduction starter, which as everyone says is quite a bit smaller and lighter.