CT54531

Apologies if this too basic but I did search and I think my question may be too simple to have been covered before. I'm trying to remove the starter from my 87. Little by little I'm getting to the different connectors/bolts/nuts by NOT following the sequence in my Haynes manual. Once everything is disconnected, however, I cannot fathom how the starter and solenoid are going to fit through the lines to come out.
Questions: 1) do I just force the starter through the three lines (one thicker and two smaller) under it or is there a different route I'm not seeing, and 2) the transmission cooler line is the thicker one, right? And the bracket that Haynes says to loosen is the one down the exhaust toward the rear? I ask these questions because I took that bracket off and it added very little play to that line as far as squeezing the starter through for removal.
Any BTDT advice would be most appreciated.

Jim

jimmers

On my 90 if I can remember, there were 2 bolts holding the started to the car. I removed the nuts holding the wires to the starter then the 2 bolts holding it to the car. It slid out pretty easily after that.

Aggravated4life

Does your front Y pipe still have the 2 pre-cats on them? if so,its gonna be really hard to get the starter out with them in the way,also because of the tranny cooler lines that run across down there as you found.

My former 86 had the pre-cats on the front Y pipe and after I replaced it wiht a precat-less front Y pipe,starter removal was MUCH easier.It wasnt until 88 that GM installed a different,smaller starter so I believe you have the big fat one in there like the one on my 86.Theres very little room to get it out if the factory exhaust is in the way.You may have to take the front Y pipe off to gain more clearance.Go check and see if this move will give you any extra room.

84-85 Vettes did not have front Pre-cats on their front Y pipes and i think thats where some of the manuals give their info from as far as removing the starter.

CentralCoaster

Does 87 have the big starter or small starter?

Fishing out the big starter was pretty tricky on my 85 even without precats. And it's not something you want to hold above your head any longer than necessary.

86PACER

Big starter.
To get mine out of the car, I have to force it past the trans cooler lines. It helps to remove the flywheel cover. The weight of the starter helps you here. That thing is heavier than it looks. Sliding it back through from the bottom is a bitch. As is trying to hold it in place with one hand, and starting the bolts with the other.
This is the only way I can remove mine without taking the header off.

CT54531

I appreciate the responses although I am saddened that the task is apparently as difficult as it looks. As noted, the transmission cooler line is in the way but more in the way is what I assume is the pre-cat which is directly under the starter on the front crossover pipe . If I were to detach the front pipe from the flange, would that give me give enough play in the front pipe to remove the starter. It could also help me get at the support bracket to engine bolt which is giving me fits.
Thanks.

Jim

87vette

My 87 vert has the big starter as others mentioned. What I did was removed the small bracket holding the cooler lines together and forced the lines to the side while I slid the starter out. It takes a little work to wiggle it out but it can be done. Just push them to the side with some force with your hands and not some tool as you may bend them.

86PACER

Now putting it back on is going to be the fun part.

86PACER

I should have noted that I have long tubes and no pre cats. There is more room that way.
When I had the stock set up, I remember having to unbolt the front y pipe from each manifold and lower it, all because of that pre cat directly below the starter was in the way. If you had a non pre cat pipe, you could have slid it by. If the studs on your manifold flanges are warped outward due to overtightening, it's not going to be fun getting the pipe off and back on again. With the pipe either lowered or removed entirely, the cat is no longer in the way, and you'll have plenty of room to fish out the starter.

CentralCoaster

Good point. If you have the ypipe off, grind those holes out a bit towards the outside. It'll save you from breaking your nose trying to reinstall it.

CT54531

OK. I'd pretty much decided there was no way I was getting the starter out without moving the front pipe at the least. Of course, the flange nuts aren't much inclined to budge readily and the strut piece running from the side diagonally to the center are also in the way of those so...
Thanks again, all.

87vette

Nothing a few cuss words won't take care of

hip

when replacing the starter I would get a gear reduction starter from Summit. It is about 1/3 the size more powerful & weighs 8 lbs. no core charge $140

Aggravated4life

Thats a very good idea...makes it easier next time around if needed.Theyre supposed to not soak up heat as much as the stockers do.

Another TIP is to get YOUR current starter fixed...if it has ANY shims on it,note where they are placed.If it has no shims,thats even better news for ya...

Many times when you swap starters out with other reman. units,the reman units need to be shimmed or the starter will grind or squeal like crazy.And since its bad enough to get the starter in and out on your back with no lift,shimming a different reman/new starter in these cars is a PITA.Id rather shim out a gear reduction starter than deal with the hassles of that stock heavyweight under there.

JackDidley

I did my 86 and my 87 wiyhout taking off the exhaust. It can be done. Cuss a lot and push those lines out of the way. Going back in, I set the starter on a small floor jack and gently jacked it up past the lines. If it comes out, it will go back in.

CT54531

Just want to duck back in and thank all for the advice and pointers. I got diverted from the task for a bit at the point of getting the manifold nuts off.
In an effort to opt out of the "do the simplest thing last" club, though, I'll make a yeoman effort to first try to get the starter out as Spankyellow describes. (I've used the jack support idea on other things in the past.)
Then, if I can't, the impact wrench comes out on the manifold nuts.
And, yes, I'm seriously considering having this starter rebuilt. Though Eckler's has a rebuilt Delco for $99. Any experience with those?
Thanks, all, again.

Jim

CT54531

What size exactly are the manifold nuts? They're tough enough to get off without me doing further damage.

86PACER

I think they are 15mm.