Take the starter completely off and then try to screw them in by hand. You might be able to work em back that way, if not you might have to get a tap to it

 

Yeah I have tried that with no luck. Both bolts stop after a few threads in.

The problem is that elbow connection on the socket. It goes in but after a few turns it stops and I can see the elbow is being forced and is forcing a the bolt either up or down when i spin and I think thats what screwed up the threads.

I just don't see how else to get to those bolts with out these socket extensions.

If I have to tap it how would I even get close do doing that? I;m thinking I have take off the exhaust manifold and secondary air and whatever else is in the way?

Gonna go try again this morning.

 

So just tried again with no luck. Both bolts get stuck a few threads in. And I mean stuck. I backed them out and now wondering what should my next step be...

Is there any way to tap the holes manually with out drilling them out with a powered drill?

Again I'm working on a busy street and just don't see how to tap them without taken apart the exhaust manifold and other things that might be in the way.

How much do you think a shop would charge to do this? I think I am at a point where this is costing more money to try and fix Vs having a shop fix her.

 

I think you should take it to a shop. Hopefully this can be corrected without drilling or tapping anything. Good luck my friend.

 

yea if you can find the proper tap, u can tap it without having to drill it out. Just use a lot of pb blaster in the bolt hole and do a quarter turn then back out and then keep doing it that way

 

Thanks guys!

I called a few shops and I can't get a quote without getting it towed for a inspection. I can understand that.

What stinks is If have a shop do this then I would have them do the starter as I don't want to run into the same problem... But getting a starter from them the price ends up really going up and they will not install a product they don't sell. ( Called multiple shops )

I might just have to bite the bullet and pay but I will search today for a quality tap and will give it another try.

 

So I got back at it yesterday with the warmer weather. I really felt like this was a lost cause on re-tapping the starter mount threads. I mean it is tight in there!

I pulled the exhaust manifold to get some working room. Glad I did as I noticed I have a missing bolt and my gaskets looked awful and one was even blown.

Anyways I got both taps half way in both holes. So I will be finishing that up this morning.

The question I have is I thought the bottom bolt hole ended somewhere but as I worked on it I realized the the bolt hole opens up into the gear housing of where the stater motor mounts.

Is that the normal design? Seems weird. As I have been spraying PB blaster cleaning out the metal shaving in that hole to realize everything is being sprayed inside...

So I'm gonna go get a good magnet and fish around for metal shaving but that seems weird that the hole opens up like that. I mean can't oil leak out of there?

Also I am wondering about installing the helicoil threads as in every video I saw that showed them being installed, the hole that they go in had a bottom but the holes I'm working with don't.

Also with the helicoil you need to break of that tap at the end witch again would throw that little pice of metal into the gear housing.

Im gonna try the helicoil on the top bolt hole first as its almost like a lip so ill be able to see how the coil sits in open ended hole.


I will post pics this afternoon for anyone who has to do this...

 

Okay so the night mare is done. Both Bolts tapped, new stater motor installed, New battery installed, exhaust manifold back on... and she won't start.

Same exacted thing all the dash lights come on like normal. I hear a click inside the car but not the kind of a click that you would hear from the starter if the bat was dead and nothing.

what are my options?

 

Can you check to see if you are getting power to the starter and how much? May need to a multi meter and another person to turn the key.

If you are NOT getting power to the starter the issue is obviously upstream (i.e. inertia switch).

If you are getting power to the starter, I would say take it back and try another starter.

 

Also did you hook both wires back up? The black bush on that goes to the solenoid and the large gauge positive wire for the starter itself.