Starter motor won't come out!

[matt77]

It seems like there is a bolt behind the starter preventing me from getting the gearbox off.

I've tried wiggling, bashing, levering and all I have managed so far is a 1mm gap one side of the starter. The other side looks like it's welded to the casing.

Any advice please? My mate is coming over tomorrow so grinding the captive nut off the other side might be a possibility...

[jasongtr]

theres just 2x 14mm bolts holding it in, sometimes they get stuck in, a tap on the starter on both sides alternately should work it out

[matt77]

Well the bolts are out just can't get it to budge. I wonder if the 1mm gap that opened will give enough movement to shift it out using your method...

[jasongtr]

give it a whack to the side with a heavy non metal hammer and edge it out, ive had a few stick in and some that virtually fall out

[matt77]

Ok cheers mate. I'll give it a bash in the morning Just been worrying since I saw that picture on another forum where the guy smashed the starter motor casing leaving half of it in the gearbox

[4ndee]

i had that problem when i did my clutch. the dowels corrode up it took me ages to get it off without cracking the bell housing. get a rubber mallet and wd40

[Marf]

Had this trouble when I changed my clutch recently, tried everything to get it out.

In the end we made a tool up out of a ring spanner so we could access the bolt and take the box off along with the starter.

[MR2Pagey]

Yep, had the same problem when doing my mates. It took us a while of beating it and prying it. It will come, but it will take some time. There's definitely only 2 bolts holing it in place.

[matt77]

Thanks all, I was gunning for that thing this morning and the brute force method won out.

A big hammer, screwdrivers and a ball joint splitter finally won the argument.

[raptor95GTS]

good effort, we ended up taking the cooling pipe off to get the fecker out.

[matt77]

I did consider that but the thought of coolant all over the place made me think twice

In slightly more time than it took to get the starter off, my mate and I have now had the box off, put a new clutch in, box back in and engine bay reconstructed, suspension back on.

My new transmission oil didn't arrive in time so when it does, can I pour it in through the hole next to the breather on top of the box or do I have to use the one on the front? I don't have a long enough hose...