help...98 sonoma 2.2 starter removal

[adam8317]

When trying to remove my starter, there is a bracket that attaches to the front of the starter. What is the easiet way to remove the bracket in order to slide the starter out?

[username00]

guess by now you figured it out (6 mo. old post), but in case somebody else needs starter removal info, here's what worked for me:

1. disconnect battery.

2. remove 2 starter bolts [14 or 15mm - don't remember which this was]

3. remove driver side bracket that goes from block to torque converter cover. [3 bolts - 14 & 15mm]

4. remove torque converter cover [6 bolts- 15mm].

the starter will still be securely held by a bracket on the forward (toward the front of the truck) end of it. the bracket is bolted both to the starter and the block, (and is the subject of this string).

note: I didn't wan't to take the exhaust loose from the manifold, (like the book said had to be done), since mine was rusty and i didn't want to have to make a special trip to get a donut gasket for it which it would doubtlessly need if i took it apart. instead i removed the easier torque converter cover. the cover won't just fall off of the truck entirely, as the exhaust is in the way of that, but it will come down & clear the gear-end of the starter and allow the starter plenty of room to come down..

5. remove bracket at the forward end of starter:

through driver side tire well, move rubber dust cover aside so you can see in to the engine compartment. on the rear side of the motor mount is a metal plate (heat shield?) which is held on by one 10mm bolt. remove that and you can [barely] see the bolt that holds that bracket to the block. if I remember correctly, it's a 14mm.

take out that bolt and the starter will dangle by only the wires..

[if you took the exhaust pipe off, then you can get to the wires for the starter from this access hole as well, otherwise, they're probably easier to get from below.]

6. remove wires, wrestle starter out.

once i got the tip of the starter out of the converter cover, and below it, i put one bolt back in on the cover to hold it up out of the way and afford plenty of room to fish the starter out through and access the wires. on mine, there was a sneaky wire tie that was holding up the whole works, but once snipped, down she came, below the engine and suspension arm, where the nuts for the starter wires could be easily removed.



hopefully, this post will eliminate some frustration for someone else who might also be looking at that damned liar of a haynes manual.

[maxwedge]

Welcome to AF. Nice, but this is a year and 6 months old, I have to close this, but thanks for the effort here.