Starter, (Removal and Install)

[chesspirate]

WTF?!! BOTH MANUALS SAY, "REMOVE BOLTS-LOWER UNIT-UNPLUG-AND REVERSE."

there is no way these guys worked on my truck... I've got a 1991 4.3L V-6 and I played with the starter for an hour and couldn't get it out. Anyone have any tricks? Pictures would be huge... I could get it to about a 1/4 or 1/8 of an inch away and then no dice. Like I said, I played with it for over an hour and tried every wich way to position it. Somebody help me out here please, please, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[94s10]

did you disconnect the wires? that may help. pull the passenger wheel and go through the well to access the terminals.

it was a tight fit on my truck, but i was able to squeeze it out of there

[T Man]

I had to remove a support rod to get mine out.

[chesspirate]

So I have to take off a tire?!?!
I can't really get the wires off from underneath, and even if i could get them off, i'd have to take off the solenoid to make any difference anyway.
This is supposed to be easy.

[T Man]

i dont know how removable the solenoid is on those. on my replacement i dont think (2 years ago, so dont take this as the gospel) i think it was riveted on there

[chesspirate]

This one can be taken off. But like I said, it's not going to change the clearance to get the darn thing out. Does anyone make a shorter starter? so when i take this one out I can actually get the next one in??? Or are there any fresh ideas on how to get this badboy out without taking other parts off of the truck?

[T Man]

http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65j/sawzall.jpg

[bvr775]

it'll come out easy, but you have to aim it just right. It goes back in the same way so don't forget how you got it out.

the biggest problem is you probaly dont have a lift and that makes it harder to see what your doing. With a lift it's super easy. 10-20 minute job.

[1993blazerlt]

if you have a 4x4 it is a pain you have to remove the torque converter cover which also requires you to unhook the front of the front drive shaft it is not fun at all

[chesspirate]

Luckily its a 2WD, and yeah, i'm doing it with floor jacks and stands that get the front tires up off the ground about 3 or 4 inches i guess. The aiming it just right is what I was shooting for, I just couldn't find the sweet angle.

[chesspirate]

Actually thinking about the sawzall idea now. Seriously. There is a cross support that is in the way, if I cut like 1/2 an ich off, the starter would fall right out.
I wonder if I could do that and not cause any problems??

[Matt 4.3 TBI]

Mine's a 4WD and I didn't have to remove the front driveshaft. Just take out the bolts from the tranny inspection cover (so you can pivot it out of the way a bit), unhook the starter wires, remove the bolts, tilt the rear (the end toward the front of the truck) upward and toward the front of the truck, try to slip the pinion gear out of the tranny cover, and drop it out. It would have gone easier if I had removed the inspection cover, but it was hitting my y-pipe, and I didn't feel like unbolting the exhaust.

[stumpy]

Mine's a 4WD and I didn't have to remove the front driveshaft.

Neither did I, I just loosened the cover, and was able to get it out. Took me a good 3 hours to get it out after figuring out ideas.

[chesspirate]

Your wisdom has come to late. I took it to a local electrical shop, low key, and told the dude what was up. He just jacked it up, with a shop floor jack, rolled himself under there and had everything done in 30 minutes. The answer was most definately the tranny inspector cover thingy(i didn't get back under there to look as I was dressed in my work clothes). Four bolts according to the guy and the thing dropped right out. I'm glad the answer is on this board now though.

And the new starter works great ( I guess being able to start when I turn the key counts as great now)

[bgs]

Mine's a 4WD and I didn't have to remove the front driveshaft. Just take out the bolts from the tranny inspection cover (so you can pivot it out of the way a bit), unhook the starter wires, remove the bolts, tilt the rear (the end toward the front of the truck) upward and toward the front of the truck, try to slip the pinion gear out of the tranny cover, and drop it out. It would have gone easier if I had removed the inspection cover, but it was hitting my y-pipe, and I didn't feel like unbolting the exhaust.
Yep Matt's got it right. The inspection cover bolts come out,
the cover is loose, the starter can come forward, tilt up a
bit so the gear clears the inspection cover and it will
almost fall out on it's own. If the inspec cover isn't loosen
and moved out of the way, might as well call for a pizza
a beer, and a sleeping bag, because you'll be there
for awhile trying to get the nose out to drop it.

Opps sorry. I just read the update.

[stumpy]

I didn't have to take off the cover, mainly because the front driveshaft was in the way of the bolt.