How to Remove a Starter From a Car

This morning you hopped into your car just to discover the starting system acting up, slowly cranking the engine or not even functioning. After a careful inspection of the system, you have decided it is time to take out that starter motor for a close examination. So here we will follow a general procedure with easy but important steps that will help you remove the starter from your vehicle in a matter of minutes.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal using a wrench or ratchet and secure the cable away from the positive terminal.

2

Lift the front of the vehicle with a floor jack and set it safely on a pair of jack stands for support.

3

Move away or remove any part that might prevent you from reaching the starter motor.

4

Remove the heat shield or bracket protecting the starter if any. Place aside any removed part along with its bolts or nuts if possible for easy identification and quick re-installation.

5

Disconnect the wires from the solenoid if it is mounted on the starter motor. Make sure to mark or label these wires so they can be reconnected later at their respective terminals.

6

Remove the battery cable from the starter motor.

7

Loosen the bolts or nuts that secure the starter motor to the engine or transmission bell housing. At this point, it is very important to make a note of the exact location and number of shims, if any, placed between the engine and the starter motor. Shims help adjust the distance between the pinion gear and the flywheel ring gear. Without these shims, the gears may be damaged.

8

Firmly hold the starter motor as you finish taking out the bolts or nuts that attach the motor to the engine. The starter is somewhat heavy.

9

Take the starter motor out of the engine compartment. To replace the starter, follow these steps in reverse order. For on-starter solenoid motors, first reconnect any wires to their respective terminals at the solenoid before securing the starter to the engine.