Trying to replace the starter in my 7.3L, and I can't get it off. I have removed the 3 bolts, but it will not budge from the block. I tried putting my jack and a block of wood under it to try and budge it, but no luck. What else can I try? Did I forget to do something?
this is a 15 min special. make sure they are the 3 bolts that are either 14 or 17 mm, after you get those off, pry it with a small screw driver. sometimes cooked on grease or oil makes it a little stickey, especially if its factory. you do have a "hidden" bolt ontop of the starter, you need an extension that runst the legnth of the starter ad a socket.
or just get it running if you can (push start) and have autozone pull it for you ive done that so many times let them bother to get it off then when you get back after they test it you just put in your new one to replace the one they deemed bad
plus its free to get it checked there
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88 F-250 body,550 rear frame setup, 7.3 idi, 3:73 dana 80 rear, srw, dana 50 front, heavy duty leaf springs, back up camera, 20$ wallyworld fog lamps, class 5 bumper hitch welded to frame and gusseted, 32" steering tires all around, ac power converter,jeep bucket seats, deezee runningboards (cab only),cobra 29 cb w/ 102" whip, 2 trucklight worklights on front stake pocket each side,high lift jack behind seat, toolbox for the junk, visor, running lights, 6600 lbs with all my junk
and have autozone pull it for you ive done that so many times let them bother to get it off ....
Let me get this straight, we're supposed to believe the Autozone parts man will come out from behind the counter, grab some wrenches, go out, lay on his back in the parking lot under your pickup and pull your starter off? That's right up there with the top ten funniest things I've ever read on an internet forum.
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are the 3 bolts that are either 14 or 17 mm, after you get those off,
No they're not metric, they're standard American, they're either 5/16" bolts (translation: 1/2 socket), or 3/8" bolts(translation 9/16 socket) I forget which.
The top bolt's easiest with a wobble socket and extension like posted.
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This ain't a hard job folks!
Right, a while back a guy was pulling a bellhousing bolt out from the back side thinking it was the top starter bolt, maybe the original poster here is doing the same. It's about impossible for a starter to be stuck in the housing if all the bolts are out.
Let me get this straight, we're supposed to believe the Autozone parts man will come out from behind the counter, grab some wrenches, go out, lay on his back in the parking lot under your pickup and pull your starter off? That's right up there with the top ten funniest things I've ever read on an internet forum.
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Jared.
updated sig: '94 F-350 XL, 7.3IDI turbo, ZF S-542, 4X4, SRW, 8ft fisher, utility body w/ lift gate, new(2003) and freshly tweaked IP, boost and pre-turbo pyro, aftermarket AC, Holley blue pump, ATS 3" elbow and DP, straight 3" exhaust. 13lbs at 2700rpm's, if you stand on it.(Not too often or kaBoom) 1150* on the pyro and as LOUD as it wants to be. 240,000 miles and counting. This is just my work truck.
The bolts are 1/2" 6pt. He MUST have left the top one in b'cuz originally, he said he tried to use a block of wood and a jack and it still wouldn't move.
If it is actually jammed in there that bad, and I can't imagine how it could be, then put the bolts back in a couple threads and get out the BFH and give a couple whacks.
Hopefully he's not confusing the oil cooler with the starter.
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Jared.
updated sig: '94 F-350 XL, 7.3IDI turbo, ZF S-542, 4X4, SRW, 8ft fisher, utility body w/ lift gate, new(2003) and freshly tweaked IP, boost and pre-turbo pyro, aftermarket AC, Holley blue pump, ATS 3" elbow and DP, straight 3" exhaust. 13lbs at 2700rpm's, if you stand on it.(Not too often or kaBoom) 1150* on the pyro and as LOUD as it wants to be. 240,000 miles and counting. This is just my work truck.
a little trick when you put her back in, get a 10" 1/2 " bolt, put a nut on it all the way to bottom out, then you can reach up there and put that REAL PAIN top bolt back in, it will do the same job as the short one, I have had one in there for afew years now, I check it once in awile when I change my oil, have never found it lose.
The three bolts that hold in the starter are all the same size and length. They all come out from the starter side of the motor. Nothing comes out the bellhousing side. Look at your new starter if you have one. You will "see" the top hidden bolt. The best tools I have found are a 3/8 drive extension and socket set. The extension must be about 1 inch longer than the starter or you can use about 3 feet of extension and be in front of the motor mount and reach the top bolt that way. Going back together I use electrical tape on the bolt to the socket... The socket to the extension so "things don't fall off when pulling back on the finished bolt tightening. Just enough tape is used on the bolt to socket so it stays in place but you can pull it off when done. Others have other ideas but this works for me. Install a gear reduction type starter because they turn the motor over so much faster and they are smaller and easier to install. Don't gorget to remove the positive cables from each battery. Way too many amps down there at the starter. I think the cable from the battery is a 11/16 wrench size nut and the trigger wire is 1/4 or 5/16. The bolts are 1/2 inch hex holding the starter in place.
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89 7.3 crewcab w/ Banks Sidewinder Wastegated Turbo. 4 inch straight piped. BTS E4OD trans with 2 extra gallons of ATF in a Mag Hy-Tec pan. Gear Vendors. Rodney Red custom aluminum radiator. Moose Pump with "G' injectors. Motor rebuilt with new after market ported heads. Mahle low comp pistons milled 12 thousands. Balanced to 1/4 to 1/3 gram. Lined bored. Block decked and sleeved on all 8. Shimed oil pump for higher pressure. Intake and exhaust logs ported too. Hypermax in shop waiting to be installed later....
yes autozone will they will remove and test starter and battery along with trouble shoot for free
and you dont have to buy from them just let them test
unless they cannot in your state some places they are nto allowed
i like the new bolt idea
and did you try a prybar?
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88 F-250 body,550 rear frame setup, 7.3 idi, 3:73 dana 80 rear, srw, dana 50 front, heavy duty leaf springs, back up camera, 20$ wallyworld fog lamps, class 5 bumper hitch welded to frame and gusseted, 32" steering tires all around, ac power converter,jeep bucket seats, deezee runningboards (cab only),cobra 29 cb w/ 102" whip, 2 trucklight worklights on front stake pocket each side,high lift jack behind seat, toolbox for the junk, visor, running lights, 6600 lbs with all my junk
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