My starter started acting up a few weeks ago, requiring that I repeatedly try to start the car until the starter engaged. I think the solenoid was going bad.
These instructions are for the automatic transmission Protoge5.
I suggest you allow about 2 hours for the job and have a helper, your going to need one person on top and the other underneath to get the top bolt started.
1) Remove battery, not just the cables the whole battery, it will make access easier.
2) Chock wheels, and get car on Jack stands or ramps.
3) Starter is located on back of engine just to the left of the oil filter.
4) Undo electrical connections, 12V cable is held with a 12 or 13mm nut and one push on spade connector. You may need a screwdriver to pry off the heavy 12 cable.
5) The lower bolt, 12mm, is easy to access from the bottom, I used a long extension on a 3/8" socket wrench.
6) The upper bolt is what gave me fits, not removing it, finding it. After much searching and with the help of someone below I was finally able to locate it. The bolt is accessed from the top, you can find it down in the open area to the left of the battery. It is a 12mm bolt, just to the rear of a slightly larger 14mm bolt. The starter bolt also holds a small metal shield. The bolt is directly under the hoses for the heater core. Sorry no pictures. I used a 3/8 socket wrench with a long extension to remove the bolt, you do not need to remove it from the hole.
7) The underneath guy can then remove and replace the starter (It takes some fiddling to get it out and the new one in, but you do not have to remove anything to do it), loosely install the top bolt, then the bottom bolt and tighten them both up.
8) Reinstall starter wiring, battery and test.
While access is tight it is a DIY job. Locating the upper bolt drove me crazy, I probably wasted about an hour trying to locate it. Removing the battery and in my case the battery shelf really provided all the access necessary for the job. I do not believe you need to remove the shelf, you should have access with it in there.
Hope this help when you need to do the job.
Jim
These instructions are for the automatic transmission Protoge5.
I suggest you allow about 2 hours for the job and have a helper, your going to need one person on top and the other underneath to get the top bolt started.
1) Remove battery, not just the cables the whole battery, it will make access easier.
2) Chock wheels, and get car on Jack stands or ramps.
3) Starter is located on back of engine just to the left of the oil filter.
4) Undo electrical connections, 12V cable is held with a 12 or 13mm nut and one push on spade connector. You may need a screwdriver to pry off the heavy 12 cable.
5) The lower bolt, 12mm, is easy to access from the bottom, I used a long extension on a 3/8" socket wrench.
6) The upper bolt is what gave me fits, not removing it, finding it. After much searching and with the help of someone below I was finally able to locate it. The bolt is accessed from the top, you can find it down in the open area to the left of the battery. It is a 12mm bolt, just to the rear of a slightly larger 14mm bolt. The starter bolt also holds a small metal shield. The bolt is directly under the hoses for the heater core. Sorry no pictures. I used a 3/8 socket wrench with a long extension to remove the bolt, you do not need to remove it from the hole.
7) The underneath guy can then remove and replace the starter (It takes some fiddling to get it out and the new one in, but you do not have to remove anything to do it), loosely install the top bolt, then the bottom bolt and tighten them both up.
8) Reinstall starter wiring, battery and test.
While access is tight it is a DIY job. Locating the upper bolt drove me crazy, I probably wasted about an hour trying to locate it. Removing the battery and in my case the battery shelf really provided all the access necessary for the job. I do not believe you need to remove the shelf, you should have access with it in there.
Hope this help when you need to do the job.
Jim
