98 Starter removal

Having trouble removing the starter..any tips??

Thanks in advance...

disconnect battery
remove left side exhaust
if it a 4x4
remove starter
it should take about 20 hours doing it on the ground if you have access to a lift I highly reccomend using it so you can get it done in about 1 hour
if its a 4x2 just remove the starter 10 minutes

I have a 99 trooper, and I believe the starter just went bad. I read this note about removing the left side exhaust, but it looks like there is only one connection off the manifold, and welds back beyond the cat where there is a Y in the exhaust connecting the right side. Do I need to remove the entire exhost unit?

Thanks, Mike

Looks like another flange right after the Y. Missed that last night in the dark :). My problem now is that the bolts behind the cat are rusted big time.. I have a 350lb impact wrench, but its not enough. I also sprayed with PB blaster overnight, but didn't seem to help. Do these need be be 'cut' off or something, or just a bigger impact wrench?

I think I would just cut the bolts. I had to change the starter on our '94 and seem to remember getting it out w/o removing the exhaust. Can't remember wether I dismantled the starter or what, just remember not disconnecting the pipe!

After a couple more soakings with PB Blaster, I was able to get the bolts off. Had to replace bolts from Home Depot since Dealer didn't carry them. Couldn't find flared nuts, so I hope regular nuts will keep tight. Luckily the upper exhaust gasket was still in good shape, the dealer wanted $28 for it! (I saw the screen on the part, suggested retail was only $19, sheesh)

Don't suppose there's anyone that's got pictures of this is there? I've got the isuzu shop manual, mitchels, and all-data. And all I can find is the sentance "remove the starter." I'm installing an engine I DID'NT REMOVE... (bad idea and PITA if you ask me) and it's like a jigsaw puzzle with no box... No support from isuzu, it's like they're pretending the 3.5 isn't their problem. So, if you've got pics of a starter going in (or coming out, I'm smart enough at least to look at them in reverse order), I'd be much obliged.

By the way, starter is the only thing holding back this engine from being complete, I have figured out the rest.

The left-side exhaust pipes must be removed, or close to removed to be able to get it in. There are three bolts that connect it to the exhaust manifold of the engine. Just remove those, and remove the bolts on the flange just behind the catalytic converter and you should be able to move it out of the way. After that, getting the starter in should be easy. For me, I also had to remove the bolts on the flange behind the cat on the right side also to get enough wiggle room to pull the leftside line down.. but the left side MUST be dropped out of the way to have room to get the starter in there.

Sorry, no pictures, but it should be easy once you get that line out of the way.

Got it in, had to have another hand to hold the wiring out of the way.

I drive a 2000 trooper with 177k and have recently changed the starter and believe it to be quite similar to yours. By the way mine is a 4 wheel drive model. The exhaust was and is quite rusty, I elected to severe the exhaust just below the three manifold bolts (perhaps 8 inches below) and then use a simple wrap of plumbing tin and two hose clamps. I thne drove to a muffler shop and in my area the charge was 30 dollars to make a permanent weld. The time I spent doing this was less than an hour to remove and again less than an hour to replace. Perhaps this procedure will be usefull as I wouldn't hesitate to do the same again. I now have 12 k miles on the work with no exhaust issues.