I wouldn't bother, just replace the contacts and plunger.

It's a really easy job if you're not taking the starter out.

• Drain coolant
• TB Off
• Some hoses and connectors
• Line of bolts on either side and up the manifold comes off.
• Open starter, replace contacts and plunger.
• Boom done.

No idea why people are complaining so much about this job. It's quite easy and there is SOOOOOOO MUCH ROOM in this engine bay.

 

This post is awesome but please be more specific. What is TB? What are the line of bolts?

 

TB = Throttle Body in this case, and his post is not "awesome", it is misleading, this job is a pretty big job, and not for the typical shade-tree mechanic, it is far bigger of a job than doing a timing belt, for example.

if it was easy, the dealership would not get 6 or more labor hours @$125/hour or more

 

Well obviously it's directed and anyone with mechanical determination.

I was expecting to have a huge job on my hands but it's turned out to be so straightforward AS LONG AS THE STARTER MOTOR IS NOT BEING REMOVED.

Anyone whos had issues with this job has hit walls at the starter motor area.

These denso units just suffer from contact wear so just replace them.

To do this job without removing the starter motor is only 2-3 hours.

I think 6 hours is taking the biscuit and the labour rate does not dictate quality either.

 

I can handle this job. This post is awesome even if you have a INDY do it you know it can be done.

 

So I ended up having to take out my starter motor.

Only an extra couple of steps, remove the centre cooling pipe which is very straightforward.
Remove the rear bypass which is 4 easy bolts.

Then you can see teh starter motor bolts.

The left one I used a spanner the right one I just put my small 1/4 spanner in and undid it.

Unscrewed both bolts and the starter motor comes out.

I still don't understand where the extreme difficulty lies and the need to start hacksawing an cutting harnesses comes in.