I need help installing my starter. I got the old one out after two hours of wrestling with it. Now I can't get the new one in.
There just doesn't seem to be enough clearance. I can get the starter into the general area but I can get it to twist around so the the solonoid is on top and the gears and holes line up. The exhaust and block is in the way. The frame and control arm?(I don't know what to call it,its the thing that pivots on the frame and has the wheel on it) gets in the way too.
Any idea on how to get it in?
Anybody else run into this problem before?
I've changed a couple starters before but I never had this problem. Worse off, this is my own car. BTW its a '85 TA with a '89 305 TPI. I'd really hate to drop the y-pipe, It's cold up here in MI and I only have a couple jackstands and my driveway to use. I don't have much time to work on it(senior in HS and job). When I do have time its already night(dark and frigid cold now). Thinking about goin to a shop and havin them deal with it.

Thanks,

Matt

 

Matt,

I don't know what to tell you. When I did mine (twice, first replacement starter was bad), it was an easy install. Drop the old one out and put the new one in. I did have to work around the exhaust but it was not a problem. Maybe the '85 T/A is different that my '92 RS.

Bill

 

I didn't have a problem on my 86 , but i have headers and y pipe . Also make sure you shim the starter right , or you might be either putting a new flex plate in or a another new starter .

 

may be that tis got larger 2.75" pipe like the L69 engines get, if the old one came out then the new one can go in, the starter motor housings are both same size, right ? thjere is a large and a smaller housing on GM starters, smaller usually seen on third gens, etc and larger on full size cars and trucks

 

Seems the same size. The exhaust is about 3.00'' I think though(at least it is that big at the muffler). The thing just won't go in. Not enough space to twist it around to line everything up right. BTW no shims.

Thanks

Matt

 

I have had a few that were a pain. I just pos. the starter to go strait up backward so the thing almost takes off the coolant sensor then wiggle it toward the flexplate. if needed you can take a pry bar and tweak the y-pipe a little but, not much or the starter will be there in a bad spot and now stuck. If I could only show what I mean.

my 88 305 tpi was the same way had the really large y-pipe

 

Remove the solinoid, install the starter, install solinoid.

 

Disconnect your knock sensor so that you don't smash the connecter when you're fumbling the starter around.

 

I finally got it back on! Took me 3 hours.
Thanks a lot for all the help!

Matt