Hoping for a bit of advice or a trade secret! Currently in the process of swapping out the starter and having never done a starter on one of these, can someone help me regarding how I get at that bloody mongrel of a top bolt? Been an hour so far and tried all kinds of spanners and sockets/adaptors with no luck. Can barely get my hand in. I'm doing it from underneath. someone reckoned I can get it from the top but I can't even see it from there. Hoping I won't have to remove the intake manifold, but if needs must? Any suggestions gratefully received!
Changing a faulty coil while I'm in there too. kill two birds with one stone and hopefully never gotta do it again!
macman26,
Dec 24, 1:26am
Long time since I did this with my EF. Very long extension bars from the front of the motor. Also I think I had to remove the air cleaner assembly at the front also. Another hint. If ever replacing Injectors plug in cable first so you don't have to spend hours recovering it from behind the starter when you drop it. And that is why i know about removing that bolt on the starter. Good luck
2sheddies,
Dec 24, 3:02am
Cheers Mac! All done now. I enlisted the awesome expertise of a mechanic mate, and it was sorted in no time! I was super appreciative!
Fitted a BA starter for added grunt. cranks over with more kick than the old one ever did!
lookoutas,
Dec 24, 4:24am
So how did you do it? I found with my 06 Mustang it was easier to take the RF wheel off and go through there.
2sheddies,
Dec 24, 5:30am
It actually looked pretty easy in the end! The difference a trained and experienced hand makes over a mere diy bloke who hasn't done one before. Left the wheels on (starter on passengers side on these) and he just somehow reached up the left of the starter, between the bellhousing, and got it with the 3/8 ratchet with one or two shorter extensions. Done mostly by feel. Buggered if I could find a way to get in there lol! Did it all from under the car.
Some guys reckon you can get the top bolt from above using extensions and whatnot, and others remove the manifold to get better access, but stuff doing that haha!
If anyone else is ever doing an E series starter, consider replacing it with an AU-BF unit. Bolts straight up no worries, is smaller and has a heap more grunt than the old ones ever did. Sounds different too.
franc123,
Dec 24, 5:40am
Yes, I think I used two short extensions plus a single hex socket to undo those, when refitting screw the bottom bolt in most of the way first but not tight enough so it won't move, and then start the upper bolt, then tighten both, all done from underneath. You're right about the cranking speed, I always put it down to cables that were perhaps a bit smaller than they should have been, the motor is on paper got enough kW to crank it well but it didn't always work as well as it should have on EF and L.
ozz1,
Dec 24, 5:56am
alway start with the hardest bolt. but dont remove the easiest bolt. until the hardest bolt is out. as you would need 2 hands. and use the correct tools. and a bit of thought. pre hand. as franc said reverse precedure on refitting. aint hard. just commen sense. :)
2sheddies,
Dec 24, 6:20am
One of the things I do love about these old girls is that quite a few parts still seem interchangeable between models, unlike most newer stuff, and pretty much all Japanese wagons!
2sheddies,
Dec 24, 6:24am
Sound advice there mate! Soooo tempting to go for that easy one straight off, but like you say, best to deal with the PITA ones first.
lookoutas,
May 7, 10:02am
Absolutely correct in most cases, but sometimes if it's just past finger tight, it's an advantage to have some pressure on the hard one to stop the ratchet from working in both directions.
Mentioned before, but my ratchet with a two-way twist handle, is magic in those situations.
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