Rubsta

I have a 1987 Firebird Formula and the starter went bad. The designers of the car decided it was a great idea to run the exhaust right over the starter! is there any tricks you guys know about to remove it and install a new one because it seems impossible to get this starter out! thanks.

novafirebirdguy

Seems impossible doesn't it? You've just gotta play with it and then, shabam it comes out. Took me about an hour to get out, 5min to get it in and bolted on. No real trick, just time.
Alex

transam85dudeman

a cold beer. works everytime. probably still meshd up. i had to take off the collector on mine i got so fustrated.

thelastz28

Ii had to remove the exhaust pipe that comes from the driver's side header to the passenger side y-pipe. Then unbolt the starter, pull down on the y-pipe and out she comes. Hope that helps a little.

Rubsta

thanks even though that wasn't the responses i was hoping for lol.

icebird84

but remember to take the plus and minus of the battery be for you start

JTNKTZ

iTrader: (10)

I have changed and put starters in 3 different camaros. Two was a 91 and 1 was a 89. If you play with it you can get it out. One of the '91's had a full 3 inch exhaust and I still managed to get it out :P

stppws4e

im having the same problem with my 91 camaro.what in the f*** were they thinking when they designed that! Not to mention,it also has to be the largest starter in a sports car known to man...

Iv already pulled the motor mounts to try to jack up the motor,and i still dont have enough room. Im ready to take my sawzall to the exhaust pipe!

wich way is the starter supose to come out?
towards the trans? or in the opening in the front?


PLEASE HELP

heat seeker

iTrader: (5)

I believe if you unbolt the solenoid off the starter they come out easier, that's what I use to do.

transam85dudeman

Dude its pretty easy, just unbolt the y collector and you can move it away to unbolt the starter. make sure the collector gaskets are ok you can reuse them..

stppws4e

its all one solid welded piece from the cat all the way up to about half way up the engine on both sides,and theres no room to get a wrench or socket on 1 or 2 of those bolts

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Yes there is, and you dont have to remove anything to get the starter out. Just play with it until it fits that perfect orientation to slide out

FYI, go back with a LT1 starter. They're significantly smaller

stppws4e

finaly got the starter out and replaced.i honestly dont believe there is any way to get it out from under my car by just playing with it.i spent 2 days doing that.

first i tried pulling the mounts and jacking up the motor,almost seemed like i had less room.

i unbolted the two bolts on the driverside exhaust pipe near the manifold,pulled down on that pipe a little bit and the starter just about fell out. starter comes out nose first towards the flywheel.

instalation was the reverse.re-used the shims i had from the old starter and bolted it all back up there.

bolted up my exhaust and put the mounts back together and she started rite up.

thanks for all your help

Al Weyman

I thought the 3rd gen was hard till I had to do one on my 99 Blazer S10 now that is a squeeze!

FlippindaBird

iTrader: (10)

i lay on a bench and hold my starter up with 1 hand for 5 mins x 3 with each hand as a warmup before each chest workout
btw the thirdgen is cake my 02 Z71 i got it disconnected and ended up connecting it again and driving it to a shop so they could put the new one on... beer didnt even help that one ;(

Tidan

iTrader: (1)

I'm faced with the same problem now on my 85 T/A. How f'king frustrating!
The starter on my 328is is easier...and has less room!? WTF?

Anyways, the bolts for my exhaust manifold to y-pipe are rusted and will certainly break off if I try to remove the exhaust.

Any other tips?

Thanks!

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Not really, unbolt everything from the starter and start playing with it until it comes out. It will fit, Ive done several and others have had success without dropping the exhaust

Tidan

iTrader: (1)

Okay, heres the issue I think some are running into...
The starter that was in the car is 1 inch longer and about 1/2 larger diameter than the replacement one.

There was no way in hell the 'stock' one was coming out without disassembling something more.

I removed the cylinoid (however you spell it) from the old one while it was in the car and that gave me barely enough room to drag it out - I wish I had done this to begin with.

The new one, being smaller, popped right up in no problem - super easy!

So, those that may have the larger starter, remove the cylinoid before wasting two days trying to take it out.

Cheers!

antares57

iTrader: (8)

Recently changed my starter on a base 91 Firebird. Disconnected my battery, jacked it up as high as I could, and placed jack stands safely around the area. I ratcheted the the nuts that I could get off the solenoid, then removed the retaining bolts to dislodge the starter, tilted the starter downward, and removed the remaining nuts off the solenoid. Then tilted the starter forward of the y-pipe and it dropped through. Replacement was just the opposite.

AZacc13

****Make sure you disconnect the wires from the sol. First! Next slide frward, then push the back end of it up vertical, it will take some playing with. Eventually it will drop right out.

-=Z28=-

iTrader: (3)

Make sure you unhook your Bat.....and dont drop the starter....

apie2546

Hello 2011 lol

ScottsBlown

For future people searching, like myself now; I’m sure people that got it out easily weren’t replacing a stock unit! There is no way it will fit through that opening! I just removed the stock starter 89 TA 305 Auto 64k. I tried fighting with it, impossible, do yourself a favor and remove the solenoid, then it comes right out!

Was going to replace with the same unit but not after taking that one out. I’m thinking of going with a 90s LT1 or LT4 corvette starter, search.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

The starter fits JUST FINE through that opening. If you point it nose down with the solenoid toward the front, it drops RIGHT THROUGH. (and the reverse)

Not saying you "can't" do it by removing the solenoid; that certainly makes it easier; but that's NOT the same thing as "it doesn't fit".

No matter how many REALLY OLD posts about this you necro and post this same thing onto.

And yes, just about ANY late-model gear-reduction starter of the right dimensions, is A UNIVERSE BETTER than the old World War 2 Delco direct-drive POS these cars came with. And yes, the various LT1 starters, as well as the 96-2000 truck ones, are VERY popular modernizations, as well as any number of aftermarket Denso and Hitachi based designs.

WildCard600

i have a 96 Corvette starter on mine. Cranks over easy and is much easier to install.

ScottsBlown

So passionate, I love it! The use of caps really accentuates your POINTS! (however wrong that blanket statement is.) You know this really is a great community, It’s why I’ve contributed so much over the last 14 years! Hard to find a place where you’re chastised for using, and not using the search function! Berated for contributing experiences to old searchable topics, lol. (Instead of starting a new topic for some real punishment) Truly sorry I added my experience to several old topics, that are commonly searched, just to help others in the future, won’t happen again.

Edit: Sorry future readers you had to read this