308 Starter Removal ... With Pictures!

Thanks for posting this thread. I subscribed so I could find it easily. I crawled under my car looking at the starter yesterday. I think I actually saw it from underneath, then I came in and searched for a thread that would actually show me something. I will be tackling this in the next few days. Will update this thread if I learn something new.

Thanks again,
John

 

Crap, I just noticed you don't have any wrapping on your headers. I don't think mine is coming out that way anytime soon. We'll see. I've got it loose but it doesn't seem to be going well.

 

The pictures dont show the heat shield which covers the starter. Maybe not all cars had them fitted. Seems like the starter would get very hot without it though unless the headers are wrapped.

 

Nice job

 

Nice thread.

 

Thank you, Keith! Another important repair demystified

 

Very true. The heat shields can make this job much, much more difficult. I'm currently working with a 328 Euro with a starter heat shield. Access is extremely limited! Getting the starter (physically) out of the chassis has never been an issue...

 

Jdubbya, how about some pics to see what you're dealing with!

 

I'll see if I can snap some. I played with it last night for about another 2 hours. I need to pull the line coming off the bottom of the oil vapor canister because mine is run over the top of the starter. Once I get that off it may have a chance but it's already hitting the header shield hard and I don't have it to the "hole" yet.

 

John, I didn't see it, but are you replacing your starter with a Gear Reduction one?

 

Wasn't planning on it. I am going to see if my local shop can rebuild it instead.

On another note, I had the bolts out of the head of the starter and couldn't figure out why it would not budge. Mine also has a bracket on the back end that bolts into the side of the engine block. That was fun to break loose!!

 

Well I wrangled with mine another hour or so. I did manage to get it to where I thought it needed to be rotation wise. I had to slide the back end up and all the way over to the passenger side in order to rotate it so the solenoid is on top. It looks to me like that's the only way the whole thing will fit out.

It still didn't fit though when I moved it back over to the "hole". Even with the clutch depressed I'm hitting hard on at least two points, the header heat shield and either the motor mount or the clutch spring.

I thought maybe I could tilt it up and make more room but it's the body of the starter hitting the mount so no amount of tilting is going to do any good. It looks like my heat shield has a few dents in it from some past experiences.

No matter how I twist or turn it I just don't see it coming out that way even if I took off the solenoid which I'm not sure I can even do in place. I can barely fit my hand between the frame and the exhaust to get in there to move the starter.

I took a couple pics but they don't really show it hitting hard because the back end is sitting down lower than it would be if I were holding it. But you should get the idea.

I think if I remove the driver side motor mount I can slide the whole thing right out. That doesn't look like fun to get to either!!
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So I had the car (83 Euro QV) up, and the wheel liner removed and I have the starter heat shield. Am I right in assuming you need to remove the shield to get the starter out? Also I don't see the shield in the parts manual but it looks like it is held in place by three nuts; one "easily" accesible from the bottom and two on the front header. Any issues removing the two header nuts holding it on to remove the shield?

Thoughts on how to approach this? Thanks.

 

Yes on all counts. Just did this...
Access is very tight on the inner-most top one. I used a 1/4" drive socket on a wobbly extension. You might need to move the firewall heat shield temporarily up to get better access to the starter shield.

 

I haven't gotten back to mine but I hope to either tonight or tomorrow. I am going to pull the motor mount and hope the behemoth comes out easily then!!

Mine doesn't have the starter heat shield, but I noticed on someone elses there was no bracket and bolt on the back (passenger) side of the starter like there is on mine. It bolts into the side of the block. It always amazes me all the little variances between these cars!

 

Arrgh. Sucky poo. Alright if i get to this Sunday will post pics.

 

Well I got back to mine this weekend. I almost have the driver's side forward motor mount out. The problem I'm having is how to get a wrench on the upper nuts. I did manage to get the inboard one out but the other is behind the top of the mount.

Any ideas??

 

Thanks. Was able to get this done over the weekend. I think half the issue with these cars is the fear of breaking something. Once I got rolling it slid out the wheel well without messing with the clutch.

Dubbya, sorry you are having issues.

 

Excellent...glad to hear. The scrapes on my arm are finally healing now.

 

Lol. My girlfriend asked me if I was "cutting" myself!

 

Digging up am old thread. I ended up breaking my arm shortly after my last post in this thread last year. After getting that healed up and taking my sweet time since then I finally climbed back under the car last night.

I had the motor mount loose except one nut. I was bound and determined to get that one off last night and get the starter out. I cut down a socket, I cut down an open end wrench, and I swore up a storm but still couldn't get that little bugger. A crow's foot wouldn't fit. I finally took the box end of the wrench and ground it down so it would fit. Then it was just a matter of somehow getting some leverage to break the nut loose. I finally managed to get a long jack handle in there and pry on the wrench until it broke loose. The mount came out and the friggin starter was right behind it.

I ordered one of the smaller gear reduction units this morning after realizing just how HUGE that old one was. I don't want to fight getting that thing back in there again!

In the meantime I've got some other fuel related odds and ends to clean up while the new starter ships out. I was toying with the idea of replacing the crusty old positive battery lead while it's all apart.

Anyone have any advice for that job? I'm guessing I'd want to cut off the battery connector and pull the new one through while pulling the old out? But I am guessing!!

 

Have just removed my starter motor with the help of this old thread (on a UK 1976 308 GT4). We had to remove the starter motor heat-shield (2x bolts) and loosen the heat-shield bottom bracket so that it swung down out of the way. Also removed the breather pipe at the gearbox end and a cooling system pipe connecting to the front/back chassis pipe, both of which were also in the way. Then it just about came out. Not too bad if you have access to a lift and a mechanic who knows what he's doing!

Just need to get it rebuilt and back in now.

 

My friend and I were able to remove the starter this weekend. We had to remove the motor mount on one side using the jack to hold the engine in place and with the clutch depressed we were able to remove the mammoth starter. Gear induction was a piece of cake to replace once the old starter was removed.

 

There is a new high torque IMI starter available with SIDE mounter connectors ! The cables will reach easily... $310. on E-Bay
Enjoy

 

Okay it seems to be my turn now.
The starter sometimes keeps spinning after I let go of the key.
So big chance it is the starter itself.

I have an early euro 308 GTB QV, so have the heat shield.
I removed the wheel etc and have found the starter, but have no clue yet if I can remove it yet.

I think the heat shield needs to be removed first? Anyone did this before? How is it fastened and how to reach the bolts?

I have no lift, so the car is on jack stands and there is not a lot of space underneath the engine.
Is it possible without a decent lift?


Here is my working "space" with the heat shield visible
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Here is the starter with the heat shield close to it
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These are the 3 bolts to remove the starter I think
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