Hi everyone. I have had problems with my starter engaging. It was originally my connectors and I fixed all of that and it started fine every time. Since I have been under there messing with it a few times I noticed recently that my solenoid would start rotating as I would be doing my final torquing on the positive and negative bolts. I then realized that the timing on my starter was being thrown off and that's why its not starting. Well earlier I tried rotating it in different areas to get it to engage. Some areas I got nothing and other areas it was close but I haven't found it yet. Is there any way to know where the timing is so I don't have to put in a new starter.

Thanks.

 

Also another question, how do I get the solenoid off of the starter? My Bentley says that its just held on by retaining screws? I cant get back there to look but they feel like Philips head. Thanks.

 

You are much better off changing the whole starter. Never heard of starter "timing". Changing the solenoid will be just as expensive as a whole new starter. "Phillips heads" are retaining screws, no?

 

Yea man. I guess I will have to remove the entire starter. It was something I was going to have to come to terms with. I am just worried about getting it off since I am hearing it can be a real pain. They say the easiest way is to lower the transmission and then the starter bolt will be more accessible. Something about the cross member bolts will lower the transmission. Help me out on any tips if anyone can. I will be trying this tomorrow on a '90 240 from the junkyard.

 

You have to remove the starter no matter what! No need to drop the transmission--you just need a long 1/2 inch extension and a swivel to get one of the bolts off, from the bottom. The other bolt is easy.

 

Can you give me a better idea of where the two bolts are located? I have a 2 foot breaker bar with a 1/2 inch drive and the end can be set to either side. Would this work? People mention of using a bunch of extensions to get to the bolt on the upper part of the transmission bell housing.

 

the bolts are on the opposite side of the bell housing from the starter, they go straight into the flanges on the starter. the lower one should be visible from underneath, the top one is a SOB.

see Electrical: Engine Starting, Charging

 

Once you are under there, and you see the starter, the bolts are hard to miss!

 

The top bolt as Pierce stated is a real pain to get to. From the rear, there is no way to get a standard socket or box end wrench on it. I was able to access it using several socket extensions plus a flexible u-joint. However, I believe I needed a shallow (short) socket in order to get it to fit on the bolt.