how to remove the starter from a 2001 rodeo 4WD

[mzhudson]

Hi-

I'm trying to remove the starter from my 2001 rodeo 4wd. What is the trick to doing this? Do I actually have to remove the driverside exhaust pipe so I can drop it out, or is there a way to twist/turn it out?

Thanks

Mark

[amigo-2k]

I think the short answer is yes. But I seem to remember a poster giving a tip, so that you don't need to drop the exhaust. Maybe it was to jack up the drivers side of the car? I don't think that would help....

[amigo-2k]

here was the second option:

I actually slid out the old and slid in the new one under @ 3minutes total after lifting the engine.

[Cat Fuzz]

Lifting the engine seems like a scary thing but it really isn't bad. Unbolt the motor mounts and place a thick piece of wood between the oil pan and a good floor jack. I have unbolted the exhaust before and it can be a pain with the rusty bolts and all. If I have to do it again I think I would do the engine lift instead.

[Gizmo42]

I ended up having to cut the heads off the bolts between the y-pipe and cat converter pipe. A year later the flange is still just clamped back together. Even with the exhaust out of the way its a tight squeeze.

Another option was to take the starter apart and take it out in peices. Then do the same putting the new one in. Seems like lots of work in a small space with the potential for things to go wrong.

[mzhudson]

Hi-

I ended up pulling the exhaust pipe out of the way, it didn't take to long, about 45 minutes, and about another 30 minutes putting it back together.

The driver side exhaust pipe connects onto the manifold over 3 studs from the exhaust manifold. The nuts are 17 mm and can only really be reached using a 12" extension on a socket wrench, 2 nuts came off easily, one of them required an impact wrench, then rethreading the stud. Just as a quick reference the studs about $6 each from the dealership, 12 mm 1.25 thread. The studs have an extern torx top (E-12), but it didn't even budge with an impact wrench on it, hence the rethread. After undoing the nuts, the exhaust has to be pulled of the rubber support bushings. With the exhaust out of the way, the starter can be removed with a little twisting.

[FL 3.2L]

I love my 4X2!

[Gizmo42]

I ended up pulling the exhaust pipe out of the way, it didn't take to long, about 45 minutes, and about another 30 minutes putting it back together.

Lucky you! Took me about 6 hrs total. Most of that time was trying to get the heads to twist off the bolts for the y-pipe side flange. They were definatly not comming out and didnt want to break either. Ended up having to wait till the next day and bring home my sawzall from work to cut them off. Wasnt bad after that.

[Smiff 24]

Amigo 2k, how far did you lift the engine ? ( a inch or 2 )
were the motor mounts all you broke loose ?
trans mount or anything else ?

[amigo-2k]

It wasn't me. I just copy and paste what others have done into the FAQ's.