starter replacement

what is the best way to swap out my starter? I have a 95 4.3v-6 s-10 pickup and it is being a pain in the ass.

Well in my '94 4x4 I had to take both motor mounts loose and the transmission mount loose. Then I jacked up the motor until the distributor cap was almost crammed into the firewall and after all that I still had to use a cutting torch and cut a "little" piece out of the frame. You're right it was a pain in the ass. After all that the "new" starter was dead so I had to start all over. :-) Not kidding!

Yup, motor and tranny have to be raised. I had the stealership do mine. Spendy!!

WOW !!!!

I can;t believe the trouble to replace that starter. I have a 2.8L and have had no problems like you guys with the 4.3L.

Just a thought ... might it be easier to remove the inner wheelwell to have better access ?

I can remove my starter from both the bottom and the top. Kinda glad I have the crappy 2.8L !!!

WOW !!!!

I can;t believe the trouble to replace that starter. I have a 2.8L and have had no problems like you guys with the 4.3L.

Just a thought ... might it be easier to remove the inner wheelwell to have better access ?

I can remove my starter from both the bottom and the top. Kinda glad I have the crappy 2.8L !!!

hmmm. I just had mine in to a shop in december to replace the noisy starter motor before it died, with -30c temps here in winter. The mechanic said he had a HELL of a time making room to do it. It took 4 hrs instead of the shop book quote of 2hrs, which they didn't charge me for. I drove it back in before leaving lot as I noticed a bolt sticking out on passenger side of torque convertor/engine cover where starter is. While under it in hoist with him to snug it up he explained the probs with it. Said he had to remove this cover, the 2 tranny support bars and still had hard time fitting starter in.

Now I have red tranny fluid leaking from that torque bottom cover drain hole, or seems to be from there. It didn't do that before. It only leaks during 1st 5 minutes of warm up in park. Cause if i then drive a few miles and recheck level in idling park, level hasn't dropped too much and no more dripping.

Might my hunch be correct that he somehow damaged the front shaft seal of the tranny ?

Upon asking back at the garage the mechanic manager said he had same S10 4WD BLAZER and that they leak there when old as well as rear main crank oil seal of engine. He said for the cost involved it best to add tranny leak stop and engine leak stop, topping off weekly.

Any opinions ?

Anyone know if any specific tranny and engine leak stoppers actually work on these rubber seals ?

Chilton book says tranny vent may be plugged, if not overfilled. I can't find pictures or see where that is. I tried leaving tranny dipstick loose, up a half inch, to allow venting as test. With this arrangement i have not noticed anymore tranny leak.

Does this make sense to anyone and why ? I didn't think there was any pressure build up in tranny.

I dunno if this a stock tranny. i bought truck used 5 yrs ago. Chilton book shows 4 speed 4L60 or 4L60-E or 700-R4. This one has 4 speeds up to 55-60 mph when it goes to 5th overdrive if no load on it. I've not noticed any electric wires going to it. It's automatic, column shift, has 2 cooling lines running from it to radiator.

I know people don't believe me, and this includes shop mechanics, but I have replaced a starter on both my '95 S10 4.3 and a 2000 S10 Blazer 4.3 without having to remove anything but the starter itself. I will admit a lot of time was spent on getting the old starter out and new starter in, but it is better then removing motor mounts. To get the starter out is a puzzle, it needs to be rotated and angled in just the right way at the right times.

Not that difficult, drop the flyplate inspection cover, disconnect the wires to the starter and then the two starter bolts... Will take a novice about a 1/2 hour to remove. A nice option too is to replace the starter with a 98+ starter. The 98+ starter has direct gearing and is much much smaller (about 10 pounds lighter as well). I did this on my 95 and have yet to have a problem.

My starter went on my 96 a couple years ago, and the guy at the shop said he had to lift the engine to get it out (and charged me 2.5 hrs). However, I've heard from many people on this forum that it can be removed without all the hoistwork.

I've probably done around 10 or so starters on s10'/blazers/jimmy's et-al... I have yet to have to jack or hoist one up... As long as you remove the inspection cover there is boat loads of room.