I got that dreaded start solenoid clunk, when turning the key the other day. I jacked it up, crawled underneath and proceeded to remove my starter. The first thing to tick me off was all the rust and scale falling in my face. Then the rather corroded terminal snapped of the cable from the battery. Then I learned that Hercules was the one to tighten that dreaded third bolt around the top of the starter that no one can see, let alone touch. Of course being on the top of the starter, mud had settled around the bolt head and hardened into some sort of prehistoric concrete. So now that had to be chipped away, just to be able to get a socket onto the bolt.

Okay fast forward an hour, the mud-concrete is cleared away from the bolt head. I have a 6-point 13mm socket with the built in swivel on a 6" x 3/8" extension sitting nicely on the bolt, give the ratchet a tug...nothing, it won't budge. Okay, get the 1/2" drive and slightly longer ratchet. Being a bit longer, this gave me less room to swing the ratchet. Tugged on that one and still nothing. Sigh, now I get out my 2' long 1/2" drive ratchet and connected that one. I pull it over as for as it will go and wouldn't you know it...there's not enough clearance to break the bolt loose. By now I'm starting to formulate in my head some sort of master plan to slip 6 feet of extensions through the front bumper and all the way back to this bolt for my air gun to spin the bolt out and off into oblivion. Naturally the motor mount is in the way and nixes that idea. I had one last trick up my sleeve, take the socket off the bolt, turn it slightly, and then put it back on. This will sometimes give you a slight bit more swing because of how the ratcheting mechanism in the ratchet synchronizes with the position of the flats within the socket. I pulled the ratchet all the way over and BAM the bolt broke loose. The other two bolts were a piece of cake to remove by comparison.

Okay so now the new starter is installed, and yes I did reinstall that 3rd bolt, just not so tight. My final hurdle is what to do about the broken terminal that bolts to the starter solenoid. Crimping one on wasn't really an option because, who has a crimping tool that large laying around? I could've replaced the entire cable but it likely wasn't a stock item and would have to be ordered from the dealer for the mild cost of one right arm. I settled on using a #2 gauge bolt-on lug that I got from a local electrical supply house. (See picture below.) I did have to slightly drill out the mounting hole to fit the bolt terminal on the solenoid, but it wasn't much. I cut, stripped, and wire brushed the broken end of the cable, put a dab of "Nolox" on it to prevent corrosion, inserted the wire into the lug, tightened it down real good, wrapped some black tape around it for protection, then slipped it onto and bolted it down to the solenoid lug. I then crawled out from underneath, reconnected the battery, turned the key and viola, it spun and fired right up. Oh well, what's next...bring it on!

 

Good idea on fixing that bad terminal. I am not looking forward to the day I need a starter as it will be even more fun with headers I think.

 

Did you put antiseize on the three mounting bolts? Pretty much guarantees they will be easier to remove, even when torqued to spec.

 

Last time I did mine I went in thru the wheel well ...much better access

 

Gee, sounds like the fun I had yesterday.

I got to replace my starter in the parking lot of the vacation resort we're visiting down it Arkansas. Blew a whole day on the project since I didn't have a couple of tool accessories along and the nearest O'Reillys was 25 miles away.... At least my electrical connection didn't need rebuilding!