240 Replaced starter

[TWD]

A quick thanks to all those who have posted about changing a starter in a 240; especially cleanflametrap's photo.

I just changed the starter on my '88 244 NA this afternoon. It took about 90 minutes, but would have taken much longer without the posts. Without the info here, I would have spent a lot of time just figuring out the tools that I would have needed.

 

[ZVOLV]

Extensions and a good gun make for a fast pull.

 

[VB242]

Extensions and a good gun make for a fast pull.

Looks like that trigger would Snap Off the first time you dropped it. Also tweeker/rave paint job hurts my brain.

 

[ZVOLV]

I argue that it's a practical color vs. red tools that get greasy and hard to spot!

 

[TWD]

Extensions and a good gun make for a fast pull.

While have a gun, I was lucky and didn't need to use it. I did use a bunch of extensions though. I used 3/8"s for the top because of space limitations and 1/2"s for the bottom. I sprayed the exposed top threads with Kreen the day before.

I am debating whether to have my original starter rebuilt. There is a good rebuilder near me who will do it for less than $100. I would then have a spare. The original starter still spun, but the drive would kick out early. The flex plate looked fine with just a little shiny area on the outside edge of a few teeth.

 

[2manyturbos]

When those bolts are really stuck, an impact gun with extensions is useless. All the energy is lost in the extensions. I've had those bolts take 200+ lb*ft of torque to break them loose. That was a 3' breaker bar winding up the extensions almost 90 degrees. When the bolts broke loose the extensions flew. I have had at least 3 cars require that much force to break at least one of those dang bolts loose.

 

[ZVOLV]

When those bolts are really stuck, an impact gun with extensions is useless. All the energy is lost in the extensions. I've had those bolts take 200+ lb*ft of torque to break them loose. That was a 3' breaker bar winding up the extensions almost 90 degrees. When the bolts broke loose the extensions flew. I have had at least 3 cars require that much force to break at least one of those dang bolts loose.

Yeah I agree that long 3/8" extensions flex a LOT. I used the above gun with around 800 lbs of nut busting torque recently with long extensions on a 2001 BMW 330 Trans swap and all it really did was torque flex the extensions for a bit. I think I had to break em free with a bar and even then that's a great way to bust your face or knuckles.

Just don't over torque on the way back in to do your future self a favor.