Is changing a Starter Easy?

[Andrew1990]

Well my starter is starting to go as when I try to turn the key, most of the time it will make a weird almost vacuum like noise. Then after a couple tries it will make a somewhat grinding noise, and then a few more times and I can get it started.

I pretty much figure this is my starter as my car is having problems starting. I was going to go to the junk yard and pick up a used starter and try it out.

I was wondering if it was pretty easy to replace one or if I had to dismantle a lot of things to do it. Possibly an hour job?

Also, I got the GM 3.4L 60 degree engine, I assume that the starter used in this was also the same as the 2.8L as well as the 3.1L found in a lot of buicks just in case none of the 3.4L camaros have the starters still in them.

 

[Vette73]

Year, Make, and Model?


But depending on the car it should be pretty easy for most.

 

[natto fire]

A word of warning: there are a lot of other problems than can arise before the starting power gets to the starter.

First, you should check the battery, as cells can go bad and even a supposedly charged battery can cause the symptom you describe.

As to your question, it can be very easy, or fairly difficult, depending on how the car is engineered. Even catchalls such as "RWD is easier" do not apply to this, as I have pulled out FWD starters that were easier to get at than some RWD units that required the removal of the downpipe.

The best bet is to locate the starter and asses yourself how you will get to the bolts, there should only be two holding the starter in place, but then there will be two more for the wiring. Obviously, you want to have the battery disconnected while doing this, as the starter is not fused and it just plain doesn't make sense to work on live circuits unless necessary.

 

[radioouman]

The starter circuit won't be energized unless he is starting the car. If you want to be super-sure, you can pull the starter relay. No reason to disconnect the battery.

The starter is a heavy motor, solenoid and gear mounted to a small frame. It is a heavy chunk of metal.

Some starters are easy to get out, some not. It all depends on the engine layout and clearance.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Don't buy a starter at a junk yard. You can get warrantied remans from autozone for $50.

 

[CurseTheSky]

The starter in my old 2003 Malibu's 3.1L wasn't too bad. Easier than getting at the back spark plugs or the refrigerant refill port, that's for sure.

 

[jlee]

The starter circuit won't be energized unless he is starting the car. If you want to be super-sure, you can pull the starter relay. No reason to disconnect the battery.

The starter is a heavy motor, solenoid and gear mounted to a small frame. It is a heavy chunk of metal.

Some starters are easy to get out, some not. It all depends on the engine layout and clearance.

x1000

 

[boomerang]

And disconnect the battery as the first step.

 

[Zenmervolt]

The starter circuit won't be energized unless he is starting the car. If you want to be super-sure, you can pull the starter relay. No reason to disconnect the battery.

Wrong, wrong, wrong and, if the car is a manual transmission, potentially deadly.

If you cross the terminals on the starter solenoid, even with the ignition switch off, you WILL spin the starter. If the car is in gear and one of the drive wheels has traction, the car will lurch and very likely fall off the jackstands or ramps.

Always, I repeat, ALWAYS disconnect the ground wire from the battery before doing any work on the starter.

ZV

 

[natto fire]

Yeah, because the starter is connected directly to the battery, there are many ways to isolate it from any other starting circuitry. This is a double edged sword in that you have to be very careful when working on the starter.

The ignition circuitry that is connected to the key only runs to a relay and the solenoid on the starter. The actual circuit to start the engine is connected directly to the battery via a 12, 10, or 8 gauge wire. The rest of the circuit can be bypassed via this wire, but that should only be done if you know exactly what you are doing. An inductive ammeter is useful if you go this route.

 

[exdeath]

Wrong, wrong, wrong and, if the car is a manual transmission, potentially deadly.

If you cross the terminals on the starter solenoid, even with the ignition switch off, you WILL spin the starter. If the car is in gear and one of the drive wheels has traction, the car will lurch and very likely fall off the jackstands or ramps.

Always, I repeat, ALWAYS disconnect the ground wire from the battery before doing any work on the starter.

ZV

This.

All the key/starter relay does is send a start signal to the solenoid inside the starter. There is still a very live battery cable running straight to the starter only 1 cm away from the grounded case and the low current "start" terminal. Even if you don't run yourself over, you could easily have a wrench blow up in your face as it vaporizes or welds to the starter housing via 800+ amps.

It takes two seconds to remove the negative battery terminal.

 

[jhu]

How about an MKV Jetta or a B5 Passat?

 

[SparkyJJO]

The starter circuit won't be energized unless he is starting the car. If you want to be super-sure, you can pull the starter relay. No reason to disconnect the battery.

The starter is a heavy motor, solenoid and gear mounted to a small frame. It is a heavy chunk of metal.

Some starters are easy to get out, some not. It all depends on the engine layout and clearance.

Oh heck no that's dangerous.

Starters have a DIRECT FEED from the battery. Only the engagement solenoid is switched by the key... cross a wire and you can either spin the starter on accident (as already mentioned) or do some arc welding.

Always disconnect the battery. Always.

To the OP, the starter on my 3.8L in my 98 Camaro isn't too hard to get to (though I've seen easier!), but I'm not sure where it is on the 3.4.

 

[Andrew1990]

Well this is an automatic 1995 Camaro. There is plenty of room in the engine compartment to work with.

I purchased a new battery assuming that may be the problem a week ago but didnt do nothing for the problem.


Now are starters usually on top of the engine near the alternator or is it more likely to be near the bottom?


I do plan on watching some videos on how to do this before I actually attempt it, but from what my friend says, it isnt too difficult.

 

[exdeath]

Well this is an automatic 1995 Camaro. There is plenty of room in the engine compartment to work with.

I purchased a new battery assuming that may be the problem a week ago but didnt do nothing for the problem.


Now are starters usually on top of the engine near the alternator or is it more likely to be near the bottom?


I do plan on watching some videos on how to do this before I actually attempt it, but from what my friend says, it isnt too difficult.

On a V engine it will be on the bottom near the oil pan. No matter what kind of engine they will always be at the rear of the engine near the transmission bell housing/flywheel.

Some like the Cadillac are actually inside the valley at the top of the engine under the intake manifold.

 

[Viperoni]

Wrong, wrong, wrong and, if the car is a manual transmission, potentially deadly.

If you cross the terminals on the starter solenoid, even with the ignition switch off, you WILL spin the starter. If the car is in gear and one of the drive wheels has traction, the car will lurch and very likely fall off the jackstands or ramps.

Always, I repeat, ALWAYS disconnect the ground wire from the battery before doing any work on the starter.

ZV

Quoted for absolute truth.

 

[radioouman]

Wrong, wrong, wrong and, if the car is a manual transmission, potentially deadly.

If you cross the terminals on the starter solenoid, even with the ignition switch off, you WILL spin the starter. If the car is in gear and one of the drive wheels has traction, the car will lurch and very likely fall off the jackstands or ramps.

Always, I repeat, ALWAYS disconnect the ground wire from the battery before doing any work on the starter.

ZV

huh... ok, I learned something. Thanks!

 

[kornphlake]

3 hands and one of those mirrors on a telescoping rod might help depending on where the starter is located and where the bolts are. I've replaced the starter in my car 3x (cheap remans are just that, but they do have a lifetime warranty) the lower bolt is no problem, the upper bolt has to be removed and installed by braille. Even with the challenge of the upper bolt I can change the starter in about 30 minutes in my car, I think the first time it took about 2 hours though.

As automotive repairs go I'd say spark plugs and wires, oil changes, air filters and windshield wipers are the easiest, I compare replacing a starter to changing disc brake pads or cleaning a throttle body. It's not inherently difficult, you just have to get nuts and bolts off and then put them back in the same way, you don't really need any special tools and you don't have to do any real precision work, generally speaking the number of nuts and bolts you have to remove is fairly small compared to something like a stereo install.