How hard to change a starter?

[dpok69]

My starter went kaplunk. I am planning on buying one from Autozone for like around $40 like some of you have. Was gonna go for the lt1 starter but one person on this board who has it says it cranks a little weaker, plus its considerably more expensive anyway.

I have never changed a starter, but i am mechanicly inclined. Are there any tips that you guys can give me? Any special tools needed?

 

[salvageV6]

1. Do a search other posts on the subject out there.

2. Disconnect the battery cable first.

3. Remove the crossover to make it easier on ya.

4. Starter is heavy leave the fat cable on it but remove the smaller ones first if you can before removing the bolts.

5. Get the wires back on correctly and oriented properly so as not to short or be strained.

Not much else to it.

Don't leave your head under the starter while putting the new one in place, you can drop them they are so heavy.

 

[TurboDave]

I've done this quite a few times now (car is now nearly old enough to graduate high school).
Just to clerify a couple things salvage said.

In step two, remove the cable from the battery end first

I would strongly recommend NOT removing the crossover unless you absolutely have to. There's a more than good chance you'll end up with leaks at the joints when you put it back together.

 

[GN SBS]

I've done this 3x with the crossover on and had no problems with space. I'd at least give it a shot with the crossover on and see how comfortable it feels.

-S.

 

[dpok69]

Okay, thanx guys.

I am gonna give it a shot right now with the crossover on first. There some stuff about shimming in the instructions i got. Hopefully all goes well.

 

[Two Lane]

Originally posted by dpok69
Was gonna go for the lt1 starter but one person on this board who has it says it cranks a little weaker.

Isn't that strange...considering it was designed for cranking an eight-cylinder high performance engine.

Perhaps that one person got a weak one????

(If you do get a "mini-starter" in the future, the LT-4 is the unit to get. Lighter than the LT-1, and still available new, not rebuilt.)

Hope the current removal & replacement goes well for you!

 

[Paladin]

Don't waste your time trying to do it with the crossover on... You'll need to remove it just to get the old one out. It took my buddy and I about an hour to swap the starter out with one from NAPA, didn't need the shims either.

Sam

 

[scottyb]

Did mine in about 30 minutes. I didn't even think about removing the crossover. I guess all those years replacing VW starters makes this look like cake. Just make sure you aint under it when the bolts come loose, it's a heavy mother!