I just finished installing a new radiator and a water pump kit, but days later, the starter is beginning to drag, and one time it didn't do anything at all.
The battery is less than three years old, and it has a good charge from what I can tell, so I am assuming the brushes on the starter are worn out?
What would be my next step? Remove the starter and take it to a rebuild shop? (assuming I can gain access to the mounting bolts)
Likely the starter, grab a new one from a good auto parts store (not Autozone or Advance);
I like to use local starter/alternator shops to support local business, depending on their warranty though; if it is an old classic, with original starter or whatever, then yes, to keep original parts, but on an LH car, spend a little bit more, get the new/reman from a good auto parts store----Napa.....etc...
You really have to be careful on the aftermarket crap they sell for these cars; dont cheap out, or you will pay more in the long run.
Looks like removing the bolts will take some time considering how cramped the starter location is - plus, I only have a 15" jack, and I can't seem to get the car high enough to keep from working in cramped conditions.
I've seen the jack points in manuals, but the sub-frame is so low to the ground, I need a (safe) lower jacking point that will give me some extra working room. Are any of the body welds / framework underneath the car safe to jack from? (I'm not referring to tire change jack points located under the doors)
You need two jack points at any corner you plan to lift: One for the jack, and one for a jackstand to remain in place after lowering the jack. (You never want to be under the car without a jackstandsolidly in place.)
I always used the front cross-piece of the engine cradle for jacking a front corner. Car must be on level ground. I would have the jack contact a bit away from the center of the cross-piece, but not very close to the corner end of the cross-piece because it slopes upward as you get closer to the corner which could cause the jack to slip outward, dropping the car and damaging nearby parts.
Put a short length of 1x4 wood between the jack and the cross-piece, because the metal in the cross-piece is slightly too thin to support the car on the metal top piece of the jack without denting the cross-piece - the wood helps distribute the pressure enough to not dent the cross-piece. Test that the jack is not going to slip on the cross-piece before raising it very far. Also, you’ll probably want to remove the wheel, in which case, loosen the lug nuts (just loosen - do not unscrew very far at all yet) while a good bit of the car’s weight is on the wheel. (Wait until the car is solidly supported by the jackstand before removing the lug nuts - next paragraph.)
Then position the jackstand top piece under the recess on the underside of the cradle near the cradle’s front corner (or aft of that recess on a horizontal section of the cradle). Lower the jack to apply a small amount of weight on the jackstand, and assess that the jackstand placement is stable - where it contacts the car and on the ground. If not stable, raise the jack and re-position the jackstand. After verifying stable jackstand placement, lower the jack to where it just starts to loose contact with the cradle, then stop and shake the car a little to test for solid, safe support on the jackstand before removing the jack and you sliding underneath. If removing the wheel, remove the lugnuts and wheel at this point.
Reverse the process to get the car back on the ground.
Thanks, Peva, but even after an increase in working area, the area around the starter bolts is so limited, I can't seem to get the top bolt unscrewed after breaking it lose. This looks like a job for an air-socket since fat fingers are useless in such an area.
I've pulled a starters in the past, but they were on older vehicles with more room.
Another fun aspect of that job is getting the solenoid control wire removed from the solenoid without damage. The key is to press the latch on the top side of the connector while gently pulling it off the solenoid terminal. It’s not easy because you can’t see sh*t, and as you said, space is limited for hands/fingers. Do it by feel. Take your time so you don’t break that wire - ounce of prevention...pound of cure sort of thing. (The first time I did it, after not being able to figure out what type of latch was there and where it was, using an inspection mirror above and a camera aimed at the mirror from below, I was able to view the top side of the connector on the computer - that was before I had an iPhone - and that there was a latch that simply needed to be pressed down.)
I was thinking about the same thing before you posted.
It is difficult to get two hands in that area, and I am worried about breaking that wire harness (if the starter slipped out of my hand). Is the harness wire very long? I assume these wires on 1st & 2nd generation vehicles are the same length?
That may be, but I wouldn’t assume it. But - yes - on 2nd gen. that wire is short enough to make it difficult to get it disconnected unless you know where to press to unlatch it by the Braille system because you can’t move or rotate the starter around to directly look at it. In any case, if you can’t easily see how to unlatch it, I suggest a mirror or whatever tricks you have to use to see how to unlatch it before getting frsustrated and breaking something that you’ll just have to waste more time on fixing.
I did so by removing the left front tire, which gave me more work room and added light. Removing the tire also allowed me insert my left arm through a gap in the wheel well cladding so I could better access the wiring harness and top mounting bolt. Still, it took me about 20 minutes to unscrew the top bolt! I'll make sure to put a little WD-40 on those bolts after I get the starter rebuilt.
Speaking of the starter, it is a Mitsubishi model, and I saw a new one at Rock Auto for 94.00 (before shipping). It will be interesting to see how much the rebuild costs.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
DodgeIntrepid.Net Forums
2.2M posts
41.9K members
Since 2001
A forum community dedicated to Dodge Intrepid owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, specs, parts, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!