OK, what's the Trick to removing the nut, ON TOP of my starter? (69 Skylark 350) It took me 15 minutes to even find out, that on top of the starter, there appears to be a small 90 degree 'L' bracket. How someone ever got this thing on, I have no idea. :shock: I can't even figure out what size the nut is? Maybe because my hands were too oily, but I couldn't get a samll socket on it and there's not enough room for my wrench? o No: Thanks, Dave...
Try undoing the bolt to the block instead of the one to the starter body.A lift or ramps will make it a lot easier:TU:
And it's a 1/2 head bolt on both the starter and block ends. That bracket is usually not replaced and some starters don't even have the hole for it. Is your starter the original to your car? That's a pretty good life for an electric component.
Been a long time but I think it is 7/16 and a socket on a long 3/8 drive extension with swivel will get it. John
1/2 inch both. I've done a lot of em. The trick is the proper combination of cus words. I'd give them to you but they are a trade secret and they might not be liked on the forums. It starts with You little MF. Swivel works, or bent wrench.
Forward starter support. Real PIA to access. I had to get my buddy with smaller hands & a bit of patience to put it back on for me. Left the starter off during the engine install.
That is probably original starter. No one puts those back on. What is your mileage. Good life is right.
Boy isn't that the truth about a lot of projects. If it doesn't start that way, the first slip and greasy busted knuckle turns it into a pretty good string of trade secret words!
I forgot to mention it is easier to take the bracket bolts off before you loosen the starter. Usually once you crack them loose they come out pretty easy, but not if the starter is hanging by them.
FYI, I Finally got the starter out. What a ROYAL PITA! :rant: I had to buy a ratcheting box wrench with a pivoting head. After the few 'Choice words', I got it! New starter in and running SWEET.:3gears: Of course, I threw that old POS bracket away. Dave... BTW, I do beleive it was the original starter. 152,000 miles on it.
Now that you know the secret words write them down for the next guy.Since you threw the bracket away you won't need them any more. You should have put the bracket on ebay. You probably could have covered the cost of the new wrench.
That bracket is actually a rather important part. It keeps the starter motor from twisting. If you noticed, its a thick sturdy piece. They didn't put it there for nothing. Same goes for the heat shield. Believe me, if the engineers didn't see a neccessity for it, they would not put it on. They didn't just say to themselves one friday afternoon "hey guys, lets throw an extra bracket and a heat shield on this thing, no reason exactly, I just think it would look cool" ??? Remember, they are in a business to make money. If it wasn't needed, they wouldn't add it. I have seen many starter failures due to a missing bracket. The only thing holding the back of the starter motor to the engine is 2 long thin bolts. Without that bracket, the starter motor can torque itself to death. The first symptom is usually a hot soak hard start (the rear motor housing is not lining up with the nose) Or a broken nose cone. If the engine ever preignites on a hot start, that bracket keeps the starter from jumping out of the car. Just an fyi from a guy who has to pay every time one of his mechanics throws one away.
OK, but then why does 'Almost' every other starter Not have this bracket. Including the new replacement starter, which dosen't even have the screw hole to re-install it? o No: The trash goes out tomorrow, so I may save the :blast: Bracket :spank: I also still have the original starter I took out. Maybe I'll put them both up for sale on Flea Bay as a set. uzzled: Dave...
The bracket does not come with the starter. Many times you have to take the stud bolt out of the old starter and install it on the replacement. If the bracket is bolted directly to the housing and there is no provision for it on the replacement, it is the wrong starter.
It is allmost impossible to get a replacement starter with the threads tapped in the field case anymore.Pontiac & olds used that bracket as well,but mounted on the drivers side,so even if you get a starter with the threaded hole,it might be in the wrong location.The most common engine to use that bracket was the in-line Chevy 6 cyl.And i've never seen one on a cadillaco No:
you should reuse the bracket, but there are thousands of them out there without it. It may save you another starter and ringgear if you use it. Maybe you should send it to Newport SNC and have the original rebuilt.
Not long after I got my car the starter went and I ran into the same problem. That little L bracket and bolt was almost impossible to get off. After trying for a LONG time, I had a friend who worked as a mechanic for years come over and he got it off in about 5 minutes because he had the right wrench and knew the tricks of the trade, otherwise it is nearly impossible to do under the car, blind with your hands up in the crevices.
