93 Accord LX straight shift.

Anyone have a guide on removing the starter?

I am kind of stuck between removing the battery tray and jacking the car up to remove the starter. I keep reading both things with no one ever confirming they did it one way or the other.

Also, can I remove the power cables from the starter and the car still run properly for a push start?

 

Okay, took the battery tray out to help access the bottom bolt. I am sending this from my phone and I will post more details when I am back to a computer. The bottom 17 millimeter bolt Is proving to be hell to get off. Got a 17mm half inch drive socket from autozone (dad didnt seem to like this, seemed he wanted craftsman, so id we round the bolt or break it itll be my fault lol) and a 24 inch breaker bar. Sprayed with PB blaster and tappped and dad tryed to break it. Looked like the engine was gunna come out of the car.

Does anyone have any tips? Do i need to get an air wrench? Right now in hoping letting the PB soak will do the trick.

 

Okay

Here is the link to a guide.

ENG: Replacing Starter - CB7Tuner Forums

I found removing the battery tray was very easy (just unbolt it, nothing else has to be moved) and made access a lot easier.

The bottom 17mm is still being a BEOTCH. We have a 24" breaker bar on loan from Auto Zone and I bought some PB blaster to try and help it break free.

I have 3 questions now

#1 Since the bendix was stuck engaged to the flywheel, can I just unplug the starter and try to push start the car? Or will I risk damaging parts farther because it will still be engaged?

#2 Can I run (push start) the car with the starter removed?

#3 Does anyone have any tips for getting the 17mm bolt out? Should I just give up and tow the car somewhere with an air wrench?

 

Ill keep talking to myself lol.

We got the starter off. I can't say enough about PB blaster. It worked so much better than the walmart brand liquid wrench I had been trying. PB blaster and some tapping along with a 24" breaker bar and a good pop broke the 17mm bolt free. The 12mm was no problem.

Now the big question. Can we push start the car without the starter in it? Just tape up the hot wire?

 

Big answer YES.

Rest of the story...
If the starter is completely removed, you have a big hole for crud to fall into the clutch. Cover it with duct tape or something.

Not sure about this, but is one of the starter bolts long and goes clear into the block?? If so, I'd stack up some washers to represent the thickness of the starter, and tighten that bolt back in. Just so you're not missing one bolt holding trans to engine.

And of course, tape up that big fat power cable because if that gets to ground, you'll have a big short circuit.

 

I taped the power wire up and push started it. Wish I would have read this first though because I did not cover the starter hole.

Both bolts are quite long. I guess I should put them both back in?

I did not know it left a gaping hole that leads straight to the clutch, scary. I only ran it for a few minutes, hope I didn't do any harm by letting junk fall in there.

I guess I should bite the bullet and get a new starter to put in because I don't think I can very effectively cover the hole for the long term. I was going to just push start it for a while to make sure the car is reliable before I sank $100 in a starter.

Got any recommendations on where/what kind of starter to get?

 

I would like to say I like your push-it-for-a-while idea. It feels like something one would do in 1950. I had a '78 Datsun truck I could push all by myself, hop in, and start it.

How about making a plywood plate to cover the hole and provide some thickness for the cap screw spacing? Then you could do the push-it.

Have you looked into buying just the Bendix drive for your starter? That's what we always used to do.

Anyway, you always hear of people having problems with cheap starters. But, I would look for a lifetime starter for 100 bucks from some easy to deal with, close to you, parts place (e.g., Autozone, Advance). You might need to take it back.

FWIW, Rock Auto has rebuilt Denso starters for about 130.

 

Covering it up and replacing the bolts are for the longer term. Running it for a few minutes shouldn't be a problem. You know better than me whether your engine compartment has dirt (mud?) that might fall in there.

If your present starter is completely scrap, maybe you can remove the pinion gear and use the housing to help cover that hole??

 

Jim,

I thought of the starter-as-a-plate method, too. But, he might end up needing it as a core. I know the theory is that starters can be so bad that they won't take them as cores...but, I have never actually run into that. I recently had an alternator in which the bearings were just a fond memory...the case must have been a mess. And, AutoZone didn't even blink when they took it as a core.

 

The push start thing isn't too bad around here because there is a hill I can park it on almost everywhere. Parking lots would be the only problem. The engine bay is pretty oily from the distributor o-ring leaking (gunna replace that soon) so I am going to attempt to cover the hole up in a little bit with some super strong magnets and a piece of cardboard or maybe some plywood.

Apperantly I don't quite understand a starter yet. I haven't had one completely apart of found a complete explanation.

I thought the plunger in the solenoid pushed the bendix out and sucked it back in via electromagnetic force and a spring? I didn't know such a thing as a bendix drive existed.

What would cause a bendix drive to fail?

Also since the battery was arching/sparking if you tried to put the cables on it before I took the starter out, that would mean the solenoid is bad as well correct? Or would the bendix drive being stuck outwards cause that to happen as well?

I think I have settled on buying a new starter or fixing the one I have though.
I thought fixing the one I have would be the best idea since rebuilds can suck.

The motor sounded like it ran fine to me, autozone and advanced actually said the starter was good until I pointed out to them that the bendix was staying locked out.