V8 starter replacement TRICK
07-15-06, 06:28 PM
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Lead Lap
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V8 starter replacement TRICK
Guys,
When I was in the Lexus shop a mechanic siddled up next to me and asked "did you replace your own starter". I answered yes and that it was one of the worst jobs I had ever done and had been advised not to even try it. He agreed and then got serious and asked "how did you get the starter bolts out and then back in?" I told him that I had to "make a tool" by bending a box wrench so I could squeeze it in behind the starter and then it was only a three hour nightmare including breaks. I went on to say that I realized that I would NEVER be able to get those bolts back in the starter...never! I took my starter to a friends steele fabrication shop and "drilled the tapped threads out of the starter body" on a drill press. I then purchased CAP bolts that were long enough to install in the bolt holes and then slip the starter over the bolts. starting the nuts on the bolts I spun them on with a high speed butterfly torque wrench. The mech looked reflectfull and said "yeah, that would work". I asked how the shop accomplished the task as I had been unable to remove the coolant crossover pipe and as a consequence I couldn't access the rear of the starter. He said "we can't get that pipe off either so we drop the exaust system and then unbolt the trans and lower the rear of the trans 4 inches. Then we have a guy underneath with a four foot extension and a guy laying in the engine compartment guideing the socket on the bolt to get it off and on. Its a real bit**". Choose your poison. Got a car hoist? Afriend? A four foot extension? Feel lucky?
You can do this with a little skill using the ALLDATA proceedures available on-line. Just remember "the cross over pipe doesn't come out" unless of course you remove the engine from the car. Trust me! My starter cost $135 from Schucks and Lexus wanted $367 and of course 6 to 7 hours of shop time that they truely deserve. Oh, and $70 for gaskets that I would reuse with a smear of silicon if the labor wasn't so bad. Those little aluminum washer gaskets used in the fuel system really aren't reusable. Get a bunch of those.
I intend this post to be helpful and incourageing to the amature mech (me) and a caution to the unskilled and under tooled.
Play safe and hard
Your friend
John
When I was in the Lexus shop a mechanic siddled up next to me and asked "did you replace your own starter". I answered yes and that it was one of the worst jobs I had ever done and had been advised not to even try it. He agreed and then got serious and asked "how did you get the starter bolts out and then back in?" I told him that I had to "make a tool" by bending a box wrench so I could squeeze it in behind the starter and then it was only a three hour nightmare including breaks. I went on to say that I realized that I would NEVER be able to get those bolts back in the starter...never! I took my starter to a friends steele fabrication shop and "drilled the tapped threads out of the starter body" on a drill press. I then purchased CAP bolts that were long enough to install in the bolt holes and then slip the starter over the bolts. starting the nuts on the bolts I spun them on with a high speed butterfly torque wrench. The mech looked reflectfull and said "yeah, that would work". I asked how the shop accomplished the task as I had been unable to remove the coolant crossover pipe and as a consequence I couldn't access the rear of the starter. He said "we can't get that pipe off either so we drop the exaust system and then unbolt the trans and lower the rear of the trans 4 inches. Then we have a guy underneath with a four foot extension and a guy laying in the engine compartment guideing the socket on the bolt to get it off and on. Its a real bit**". Choose your poison. Got a car hoist? Afriend? A four foot extension? Feel lucky?
You can do this with a little skill using the ALLDATA proceedures available on-line. Just remember "the cross over pipe doesn't come out" unless of course you remove the engine from the car. Trust me! My starter cost $135 from Schucks and Lexus wanted $367 and of course 6 to 7 hours of shop time that they truely deserve. Oh, and $70 for gaskets that I would reuse with a smear of silicon if the labor wasn't so bad. Those little aluminum washer gaskets used in the fuel system really aren't reusable. Get a bunch of those.
I intend this post to be helpful and incourageing to the amature mech (me) and a caution to the unskilled and under tooled.
Play safe and hard
Your friend
John
07-16-06, 01:16 PM
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Lead Lap
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Perry,
I had a cold soak starting problem that became severe. I finally concluded that I had a "fuel" problem and I am not equiped or smart enough to deal with the computer controled injection system. I could only determin that I had fuel pressure and that a leaking/hung-up injector was not my problem. I also verified the timing and that all plugs were getting voltage and I replaced all plugs. In terms of ideas, I was empty.
I delivered the car sans all of the plastic engine covers to minimize their trouble at getting to anything as they had agreed to only charge me for trouble shooting. The starter replacement was part of the background and I assured them that the problem was there before I did the starter and that that repair wasn't related to the symptoms. I left the shop knowing for sure that the problem was ignition in the left bank. Mechanics are professional and work in your interest as long as yours doesn't conflict with theirs. Leaving things out is no more schrewd with your mech as it is with your Dr. or attorney.
I think the starter failure was due to the excessive cranking in cold weather. 60 degrees did it if left over night. I suspect that the previous owner had dealt with this for a long, long time without a shop being able to resolve the problem and that may have been the reason he sold the car. It is cherry in and out and has an upgraded suspension and only 123Kmi.
I found the problem by packing the coils and igniters in ice until the problem presented. When one igniter reacted to the chill I proved its defect by alternately heating and chilling it. I had a lot of help from professionals and I would have failed without that help most probably. Had I known about this forum I might have gotten there quicker as this is a brain trust area.
I told them?
Play safe and hard
John
I had a cold soak starting problem that became severe. I finally concluded that I had a "fuel" problem and I am not equiped or smart enough to deal with the computer controled injection system. I could only determin that I had fuel pressure and that a leaking/hung-up injector was not my problem. I also verified the timing and that all plugs were getting voltage and I replaced all plugs. In terms of ideas, I was empty.
I delivered the car sans all of the plastic engine covers to minimize their trouble at getting to anything as they had agreed to only charge me for trouble shooting. The starter replacement was part of the background and I assured them that the problem was there before I did the starter and that that repair wasn't related to the symptoms. I left the shop knowing for sure that the problem was ignition in the left bank. Mechanics are professional and work in your interest as long as yours doesn't conflict with theirs. Leaving things out is no more schrewd with your mech as it is with your Dr. or attorney.
I think the starter failure was due to the excessive cranking in cold weather. 60 degrees did it if left over night. I suspect that the previous owner had dealt with this for a long, long time without a shop being able to resolve the problem and that may have been the reason he sold the car. It is cherry in and out and has an upgraded suspension and only 123Kmi.
I found the problem by packing the coils and igniters in ice until the problem presented. When one igniter reacted to the chill I proved its defect by alternately heating and chilling it. I had a lot of help from professionals and I would have failed without that help most probably. Had I known about this forum I might have gotten there quicker as this is a brain trust area.
I told them?
Play safe and hard
John
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