How hard is it to remove the starter. !985 !2 A 5 speed.

Give me the step by step Please

 

It's really easy. You need a jack, jack stands (very important), a 12mm or a 13mm socket (I can't remember which), and a 14mm socket.

-Remove the negative battery cable from the battery.
-Go under the car and undo the cables leading to the starter.
-Spade connector on the solenoid
-the positive terminal which is either a 13 or a 14mm, and be careful with it because the threaded shaft is made of brass and strips easily.
-remove the lower 14mm bolt in the starter housing
-remove the upper 14mm bolt, this requires you to get it from the front side of the housing, where there is a bunch of wires in the way, because the bolt head is on the front side of the iron. the negative cable attaches here on this bolt.

-to re install, just go backwards.

 

Use an extension on your ratchet to get to the long upper starter bolt. If you use an 8" or so extention, it should clear the spark plug wires and you should be able to ratchet the long bolt out without having to remove the spark plug wires.

 

Thanks, I will report back on my success or ?????

 

It is an easy thing to do. 2 bolts and 2 wires... If you do run into any problems we will be here to help though.

 

I replaced all 3 starters in one month a couple years ago! The starter on the 83 died when I was picking up the rebuild for the 85GSL. Pretty easy to start that 83 with a rolling push and jumping in, and I'm 70! Take that you young whippersnappers!

It was easier and quicker to swap the starters myself (done in 45 minutes: disconnect negative cable, undo top starter bolt with medium extension, lift with transmission jack, insert jackstand, go under, undo terminals, undo bottom fastener, pull it out, insert new starter,...etc. Nothing to it)) than to get it to the mechanic a block away and have him do it, even though I swore I'd never go under a car again several years ago.