Technical Starter Removal

[rusty914]

I have a 1983 Fiat 124 Spyder 2000cc with AT( ). I am in the process of removing the starter. I have the two lower bolts on the bell housing side removed and all of the wiring disconnected. Everthing that I have read states that there is a third bolt (that I cannot find). Can anyone tell me where to find this third bolt and the best approach to getting it out.

Thank you!

 

[mbouse]

small hands and fingers can find it on top of the starter.

according to my manual, "turn road wheels to right to position steering linkage for clearance during removal. Remove three bolts attaching starter to bell housing. NOTE: Access to top bolt is best accomplished with a long socket extension and U-joint."

Good luck. I've heard it is a bear.

 

[pininfarina]

yea its not as bad as people say. if you have trouble you can help situation by putting the car on jackstands and putting a little pressure on your oil pan with your car jack. two or three pumps should do the trick. this will lean the motor and transmission down so you can get that bolt with ease.the hard part is getting the starter out. you do have turn the wheels all teh way to the right.

 

[mbouse]

i guess i would be really leary of putting a jack under my oil pan.

 

[daddio88]

I am just seeing this thread so you are probably finished by now. Since you removed the outer two bolts from underneath, the third bolt is on the inside top. You must remove it from the top and it is in a recess and you will be working 'blind'. Take a deep socket with a short extention on it and probe around the inside top of the starter until you feel the socket engage. Then attach your ratchet and crank away. I'm not sure about your model, but you may have to remove the clutch cable and you will have to remove the connecting bar for your steering only on one side though. Be careful not to mess up the ball joint at that location when you separate it. The starter will come right out at that point and you can remove the wiring then. I use a second jack to support the starter when doing the wiring removal/connecting. Hope this isn't too late to help.