Changing starter

I am trying to change my starter on my 1998 S-10. What is involved in gettting that thing out so I can change it???

Bad News- I Had The Same Problem And The Haynes Manual And The Dealer Said You Have To Pull The Motor To Change The Starter- I Got Rid Of That Truck. Let Me Know What Happens With Yours.

Bad News- I Had The Same Problem And The Haynes Manual And The Dealer Said You Have To Pull The Motor To Change The Starter- I Got Rid Of That Truck. Let Me Know What Happens With Yours.

Bad News- I Had The Same Problem And The Haynes Manual And The Dealer Said You Have To Pull The Motor To Change The Starter- I Got Rid Of That Truck. Let Me Know What Happens With Yours.
I have the engine jacked up and am going to remove the oil pan hopefully that will give me the clearance I am looking for. Will let you know.

I have the engine jacked up and am going to remove the oil pan hopefully that will give me the clearance I am looking for. Will let you know.

I hope that I caught you before you pulled the oil pan. Don't do it, you don't have to and if it's 4x4 yoc can't pull pull the oil pan out without lifting the motor.

I don't know what motor you have, but I would imagine that it's the 4.3L
Since I don't have a 4.3L I haven't change the starter on one yet. But I know that it's possible without lifting the engine. You just have to remove a few things like the inspection plat on the bell housing.


Wait until someone else tells you the secret, or just take the time to figure out the puzzle from the bottom.
It really isn't that hard and should take you less than 2 hours

In the mean time it'll help them out if you tell us what motor and transmission you have, plus if it's 4x4

This is for a 98 4.3(either vin) 4x4

Disconnect the battery negative cable.
Raise and suitably support the vehicle.
Remove the front tire and wheel assembly from the right side of the vehicle.
Remove the differential carrier shield mounting bolts, if equipped.
Remove the differential carrier shield, if equipped.
Remove the wires from the solenoid.
Remove the starter mounting bolts by accessing them below the right wheel house panel.
Remove the starter from the vehicle. Note the location of the shims, if equipped.

I hope that I caught you before you pulled the oil pan. Don't do it, you don't have to and if it's 4x4 yoc can't pull pull the oil pan out without lifting the motor.

I don't know what motor you have, but I would imagine that it's the 4.3L
Since I don't have a 4.3L I haven't change the starter on one yet. But I know that it's possible without lifting the engine. You just have to remove a few things like the inspection plat on the bell housing.


Wait until someone else tells you the secret, or just take the time to figure out the puzzle from the bottom.
It really isn't that hard and should take you less than 2 hours

In the mean time it'll help them out if you tell us what motor and transmission you have, plus if it's 4x4

I do have a 4.3L with automatic trans and it is a 4x2. The inspection plate is not what is giving me the problem. The transmission bell houseing is what I am trying to get around. My idea of removing the oil pan is that I will then have enough room to get the starter back just enought to get it back into position.

I already have the engine jacked up and I am almost getting enough room to get the starter in. I am getting the problem from the cross memeber and the oil pan. From there the oil pan looks to be the lesser of the two evils.

As you put the starter in position to put it back in it likes about a half inch going back far enough to be past the transmission bell housing. If I could get past the bell housing, I would have it back in. That is saying that the inspection plate is not hindering my way.

I have a 95 sonoma myself with a 2.2L. It too is a 4x2 but with a standard transmission. I did have to remove the inspection plate on that one. But if you have any secrets please respond asap for I am currently working on it. Thanks for your advice.

I do have a 4.3L with automatic trans and it is a 4x2. The inspection plate is not what is giving me the problem. The transmission bell houseing is what I am trying to get around. My idea of removing the oil pan is that I will then have enough room to get the starter back just enought to get it back into position.

I already have the engine jacked up and I am almost getting enough room to get the starter in. I am getting the problem from the cross memeber and the oil pan. From there the oil pan looks to be the lesser of the two evils.

As you put the starter in position to put it back in it likes about a half inch going back far enough to be past the transmission bell housing. If I could get past the bell housing, I would have it back in. That is saying that the inspection plate is not hindering my way.

I have a 95 sonoma myself with a 2.2L. It too is a 4x2 but with a standard transmission. I did have to remove the inspection plate on that one. But if you have any secrets please respond asap for I am currently working on it. Thanks for your advice.

No need to go through all that. Drop the inspection cover and you should have enough room to get in. YOU DO NOT WANT TO REMOVE THE OIL PAN. With just the engine jacked up you wouldn't have enough room to get it out anyway.

If after removing the inspection cover you find you still are having a hard time, Let teh engine down, and support the tail shaft of the transmission. Unbolt the transmission from the cross member, then remove the crossmember itself.

No need to go through all that. Drop the inspection cover and you should have enough room to get in. YOU DO NOT WANT TO REMOVE THE OIL PAN. With just the engine jacked up you wouldn't have enough room to get it out anyway.

If after removing the inspection cover you find you still are having a hard time, Let teh engine down, and support the tail shaft of the transmission. Unbolt the transmission from the cross member, then remove the crossmember itself.


Maybe everyone will be able to read this as well. I was successfull in replacing the starter!! I did not remove the oil pan. I took out the left engine mount bolt and jacked the engine up as far as I could. As I had said earlier the inspection plate offers no relief to the effort. I simply took the solenoid off the starter which in turn gave me just the space I needed to slide the starter back in. Now it is very tight in there and I would suggest putting the solenoid back on before bolting the starter in place. (To get to the far side solenoid bolt easier.) My wife has the key with her at work so I will have to get back with ya'll when I know if it was a complete success, but the starter is in fact bolted sucurely back in place. Thanks for everyones advice and assistance. Maybe the way I have got it in will help someone else accomplish the same mission on there 98 S-10 4.3L automatic trans 4x2!!