Starter Install

B

Brentster

Member
I am sure I will get some interesting responses here, I just ordered a new starter. My starter is 16 years old and it is making a screeching sound on cold starts. I know I can take it apart and lube it but at 100K and 16 years old I know something will eventually go wrong. How hard is it for me to change the starter, I have a lift in my garage so it should be an easy job for me. I know I have to disconect the negative cable on the battery before doing anything, I am just a bit nervous because I have never replaced a starter by myself. Any thoughts or recommendations are welcome.

I picked up the Bosch Starter on Amazon delivered for about $120.00 so $113.00 plus tax, and I will be saving the old starter.
 
It’s a PITA.

Mostly the top bolt that you can’t see. You will need an assortment of short extensions to achieve that “perfect” reach. There’s not much room between the front of the starter and the K member, just enough for a ratchet to turn once you find the right combo of extensions/sockets.

I went with a gear reduction mini starter years ago. So much easier..


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It will be 100 times easier standing under a lift than laying on the on your back. As long as you don’t have kooks headers it shouldn’t be too bad. The top bolt is kind of a pain in the ass, but use a mirror.
 
Comin' in Hot said:
It will be 100 times easier standing under a lift than laying on the on your back. As long as you don’t have kooks headers it shouldn’t be too bad. The top bolt is kind of a pain in the ass, but use a mirror.
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No Headers on the car, thanks for the info on the top bolt!
 
I got the starter down easy with some swivel sockets and extension. Gotta feel for them.


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Just took the starter out of my brothers car the other day getting replaced with gear reduction starter: Powermaster 9532. I have the same starter in my marauder and it works great. I believe justbob is where I got the part #.

Top bolt required 10mm 3/8 drive deep socket, 4" extension, and slight reach around. flex head ratchet not mandatory but suggested. The other 2 will be in plain sight.
 
It seems a lot of Ford's have the annoying hard to reach top bolt. Some leave it out, though not necessarily recommending that.
 
I did the starter on mine but its running kooks headers, long story short I removed the solenoid from the starter body, installed starter, then installed the solenoid and life was good. Get your extensions and swivels out, it takes a bit of experimenting, cursing and feeling for **** you can't see but all in all it is not a hard job.
 
The 2 bottom bolts were easy, but the top 1 was a real pain, my buddy who works on cars alot came over and helped me out. Would a gear reduction starter in the future be easier to install. Meaning would the top bolt be easier to install with a gear reduction starter. My buddy started put the 2 lower bolts in 1st snug tight, then got the top bolt in and tightened it down, from there he tightened the bottom bolts then hooked up the wires. This job was hard enough with a lift, hate to think how this could be done when laying on the ground.

If someone with our Marauder brought a starter for a mechanic to put on would the labor be about $100.00

Whoever the engineer was could have desiged it better so it is easy to get the top bolt off.
 
I have a lift and prefer to just do it on the ground..

As for the mini starter. Night and day easier.


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The gear reduction starter is a completely different shape and gives you more access to reach the top bolt. However, 1 of the holes is blocked by the housing and the factory bolt doesn't fit. I run a different bolt through the bellhousing and put a nut on the starter side. Also the wires are located in different positions and require slightly bending the factory terminal ends.

The engineers couldn't care less about how hard it is to get to the bolts. At the factory the starter is zipped to the engine and then dropped into the frame never to be seen or touched by the installer again.
 
Grimrepairman said:
The gear reduction starter is a completely different shape and gives you more access to reach the top bolt. However, 1 of the holes is blocked by the housing and the factory bolt doesn't fit. I run a different bolt through the bellhousing and put a nut on the starter side. Also the wires are located in different positions and require slightly bending the factory terminal ends.

The engineers couldn't care less about how hard it is to get to the bolts. At the factory the starter is zipped to the engine and then dropped into the frame never to be seen or touched by the installer again.
Click to expand...

There is always a catch thanks for your post. Seems there was a you tube video but it was a crown vic does that mean it would be the same for our Marauders?
 
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