Hi

What specialty tools will I need to replace the starter on my 99 TA...
And is it a PITA? Any advice? I'm gonna be doing it in the parking lot at work, so I need to make sure I got everything!

Jack stands are a given.

Thanks!

As back ground, I'm doing this 'cause the car won't crank when I hit the key. The security light isn't flashing, and goes out after a few seconds, so I don't think its the VATS system. I'll be trying to replace the starter relay before trying to swap the starter, 'cause that fixed it last time i had this problem. I let the car sit over night, and it didn't try again in the morning. I also can hear the starter relay under the hood click, as well as the relay under the dash. \

Any other advice here?

 

a 13mm socket, and a 10mm wrench i beleive for the wires. the 13 is used for the mounting bolts, and the B+ wire, and the 10 is used for the S terminal. its been a while since ive changed mine, but i beleive this is the sizes. the starter change itself takes about 10-15 minutes.

 

Make sure you disconnect the battery.

 

If you are replacing the starter look at getting the truck starter as it has two equal length long mounting bolts. The stock LS1 starter uses one short, and one long bolt which can cause issues if the short side becomes loose, or breaks off, causing the long bolt to possible do some serious damage to the block. I was lucky when I shattered my flex plate that the starter broke, and my block wasn't broken. The price is the same, but read carefully if buying off ebay as sometimes the truck starter doesn't come with two long bolts, just reuse your long stock bolt.

 

You will be surprised how easy it is. Take the wires off first or when you drop it out you will have too much weight pulling on the wires.

 

Nonsense. If you use some common sense and don't let the starter hang it will be fine. Not to mention much easier to connect the wires.

 

easy jack the car put it stands and take it off!? really? are you serious the starter? thats like asking how to take the tires off

 

well to you sir above me. removing the wheels (since they bolt on to the vehicle) is easy, mainly because you dont need a tire machine to break the bead and dismount. getting the tires off of a rim isn't as easy as removing the starter. so my question to you is, are you serious? to op. remove the battery cables first, lift the vehicle to where you can fit under it, the two bolts that hold it in the block are 13mm, the two nuts that hold the signal wire and power wire are a 10mm and an 8mm. remove those and remove the wires. you can let the starter hang just dont let it drop down quickly. put the starter out of your way and replace/install in the reverse order. if you havent already done this then i hope this helps. lol

 

to explain how easy it is, my started went out in a parking lot about an hour from my house but next to an o'reilly auto. walked over to oreilly, bought a starter, pushed my car over a recessed drain in the parking lot for a little extra room and changed it there in the parking lot lol.

 

Before you replace the starter, have you considered replacing the battery? It will just click if you dont have the juice to turn the starter.

 

oh WOW? (easy button)

 

Holy ****! can someone ask for help without being a mechanic? gotta love the ******** of the world!!

 

I'm in the same boat as you OP, except my headers get so much in the way that I would have to loosen the bolts on the header or remove it completely to change the starter.

The header problem is the main reason why I havent changed my aging starter, that and lazyness

 

i actually just finished doing mine about 3 hours ago. it took me about an hour to do it, taking talk breaks with my wife. It wasn't hard at all, and honestly, i didn't even know where the starter was prior to installing let alone how to change it. but it was pretty dummy proof. I needed an extension for the 13mm bolts and had to remove a sensor from the tranny because my 1 7/8 long tubes would not let the starter come out easy. all in all, very easy job. about as easy as an oil change.

 

I'm doing this right now on mine. My only issue is the oil pan sensor on the passenger side. It is directly under the starter and it will be so much easier to do this with that out of the way.

I can't figure out the clip! Has anyone else done this?

 

Since I just had a similar won't-crank situation, my advise is to first make sure you don't have poor contact between the battery cable and the battery, even if it seems tight.

 

It can be a bitch if the clip side is "face up". If you can see it, its pretty easy though, as it plugs in just like ABS sensors/MAF sensors and probably every other sensor on the car. Tiny screwdriver is your friend.

 

Thanks! Got it with needle nose. I just couldn't see the tab, but I felt it out. It's always the plastic crap that slows me down on these cars.

 

Doing this on the weekend. Hope its as easy as it sounds

 

Just thought I'd add,(since there was no mention of this and I had to wiggle my way back out from under the car to get them, grrr) you will also need a 15mm socket and extension to get the starter bolts out. I just did it. The 13mm and the 8 mm are for the wires. There is a dust shield too but don't take it loose.