Alright I searched and found out that you need to tilt the starter just right to get it to come out because of the y-pipe taking up some room. I also removed the dust sheild so I could have even more room and the damn thing still won't begin to make it's way out. I tried to unhook the wires, but haven't been successful. I figured I should take a break and vent a little. I'll go at it after a while. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Honestly WTH was GM thinking?


I know this is easy to say but try not to get frustrated. I had the same time putting my starter in. Honestly, unless you pull down the y pipe there is no trick to getting it in there easy.

I recommend you take your time and think it though as your forcing it into position. It took me one full day to get mine in and wired. You know the drill, all by feel. Be sure to wear a good pair of mechanic gloves and the higher you can jack the car the better.

Mine went in with the solenoid facing up and outward after I cleared the y pipe I had to turn it into position.

Good Luck Stay Cool.

 

I've gotten my starter out before with an aftermarket Y-pipe that is slightly bigger than the stock one. You are gonna have to bend, what I beleive is the trans cooler lines (1/4" hard lines) out of the way slightly to get it down. If that just absolutely doesn't work, you may have to drop the Y-pipe down. It will be a pita but it may have to happen. Those trans lines are sturdy for moving out of the way but don't push it too far, wouldn't want one to break, although you could repair it with a length of rubber hose and hose clamps.

ACTUALLY, now that I think about it, if you really don't want to drop the y-pipe you could cut away those cooler lines and repair them like I said earlier, if that is, they are the main thing in the way of dropping the starter. Some may consider this a 'hack' (lots of guys here look down on cutting up of stock lines that were not made to be cut), and honestly I think I would just drop the exhaust myself, but if you are pressed for time, money etc, cutting those lines and repairing with rubber hose and hose clamps is an option.

But someone just verify that the lines going under the starter are hardlines carrying coolant to the transmission. I am 99% sure they are.

 

I am not sure either but I think that they carry trans fluid to the right side of the rad.

Auggie

 

Yeah they are the tranny coolant lines. I'll have a round 2 with it in the morning now that I have had time to think about it and contemplate my next move.

 

It will come out, Try removing the solenoid and it will help. Once you get it out go buy a LT1 mini starter and never experience this problem again.

 

^^ What he said ^^

 

Mine came out easy... ???

Just removed all the wires, and moved it towards the front of the car until I could drop it out in front of the y-pipe right there. I didnt have to move anything otu the way, just moved the starter towards the front of the car maybe 3+ inches to get it in front of the curve of the y-pipe... I wonder if my car is different from you guys' cars for some reason... but it was the stock starter and stock exhaust...

 

Doubt it's different, mine came out fairly easy too. The only reason I had to push the trans lines away lines was because my Ypipe is bigger and the trans lines had already been bent out of shape, blocking the starter some.