Pain in the butt starter

[louie3888]

I've been going at it for a 1 1/2 days now, trying to replace this starter on a 1994 Honda Passport, I've raised the engine to make more room, which helped, but it seems like nothing will work, unless I remove that exhaust down pipe. The nuts on the exhaust studs are so rusted from the beautiful Chicago weather! It seems like my only option is to break the studs or try heat, but the nut are so rusted, as soon as u put a socket on, it get's stripped.

I was thinking of trying some Mapp gas too them and see if it helps, do you guys know if those studs on the manifold exhaust are pressed or welded to the flange? Cause if I cant get them off with a socket, I will have to go to home depot and buy a cheap cutting torch system and see if that works.

I cant believe how stupid the design engineers where when they laid this out for production, don't they realize thinks get rusty.

Thanks

[2eyefishclaw]

the studs are screwed into the manifold and usually break off jus be sure to us a 17mm six point socket for the job soak them with brake fluid overnight its one of the best rust penetrants out there

[heritage72]

You can take the new starter apart and reassemble in place above the exhaust pipe. I too live in Chicago and could not get the exhaust pipe off. I worked on the pipe for a couple of days and after I was advised to disassemble to starter the whole job took about 30 min.

[ibew595]

On my 94 Rodeo V6 I didn't take apart much. I was able to get it out.
Ha ha ha! I should have disconnected the battery first. WHACK....oops right across the solenoid.

[superfret78]

You should be able to finagle it in and out...I think the only think that you have to remove is that front crossmember and you should be able to get to it.

[Cat Fuzz]

I took out part of the exhaust to change my starter. Got lucky with the studs.

There are worse vehicles out there to work on.

[aaronmack]

I got frustrated enough to have a shop do it. They were surprised that I had AAA tow my truck there, I had already unbolted the starter and somehow rotated it enough so that I couldnt reattach it or get it out.

It took the tech a few hours to get it out and put in a new one, the shop manager kept making cracks about how he shoulda quoted me more money for the job.

They ended up removing part of that exhaust pipe. This car is just too danged hard to work on. I'm having shops do it all from now on.

[mwt]

I soaked my exhaust bolts with PB blaster for about an Hour.

Unbolted fine the job took less than an hour

Mike