20 yr old starter R&R. Test of age and perserverance

[harringtondav]

'99 Durango's starter was telling me it was feeling poorly. So a 20% off Advance Auto online order and I had my reman Carquest $98 starter. Five - seven solenoid clicks w/fingers crossed and I was up on the ramps. The front diff. skid plate buzzed right off. I had it off before and gooped up the cap screws with Neversieze on replacement.

The cross member was virgin. I had to use my Dotco die grinder to cut off two cap screws. Then off with the LF wheel so I could reach the top starter cap screw. No room for a breaker bar, but I was able to squeeze my 600 ft lb impact in with a swivel. Nada. So I pulled out my rarely used white flag and called the local Tandem Auto and set up and appointment.

After stewing overnight about defeat, I went to Harbor Freight and bought a new 1190 ft lb impact. $150 was sure to be less than the shop charge, plus tow if the starter had spent all of it's clicks. Bzzrrp. That cap screw jumped right out. The lower was a stubborn nut, but with a ratchet and a 3# persuader it gave up.

I'd rather eat a bar of soap than pay anyone to do anything I can figure out. But with my 65th birthday close, I think I saw the hand writing on the wall with this one.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

You da man for sure. I only wish I had 1/10th your skills. I quit my auto mechanics career at 17. I wasn't about to pay anyone to change the thermostat on my old Ford Capri. I unfortunately snapped a bolt of the cap. Drove it 2 blocks to the shop. Bernie asked me why I tried to take out the PVC valve if I can remember almost 50 years ago. Not being a quitter, yet, I was changing the anti freeze on the road close to the sewer ( environmental protection was reduce pollution by dilution back then) when my kid brother came rolling up on his bike and asked me why all the stuff I was putting in the car was running down into the sewer. I didn't quit, I just retired. I'm limited to battery changes and air filters, depending on the car, oh I changed the plug wires once on my old Audi, and put air in the tires. I once changed a flat and got 2 blocks before the wheel nearly fell off. I didn't tighten the lug nuts enough. I wish I had your skills but sometimes one must know their limitations and jusk call the guy.

 

[MTboatguy]

I would really like to retire from doing my annual troubleshoot and fix routine on my steeds, but I just can't swallow paying what the real guys want these days and if I had to have one towed over the river and through the woods, I would have to go back to work to pay for that!

Nope, just can't bring myself to do that yet!

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I would really like to retire from doing my annual troubleshoot and fix routine on my steeds, but I just can't swallow paying what the real guys want these days and if I had to have one towed over the river and through the woods, I would have to go back to work to pay for that!

Nope, just can't bring myself to do that yet!

I as well hate paying the guy, but like I said I do more damage and cost me in the long run. So if I need to pay the man when I was working I would grab a 12 hr shift of OT, now I call in favours but am running thin on them. The boat I can work on, the vehicles ferget abowd it. I wouldn't know how to take the engines plastic armour off it.

 

[sam60]

The ignition tumbler on my 2013 Malibu became inoperable. For me to get to it I had to remove the airbag, steering wheel and clamshells the around column. I put a new ignition switch in as well after I got the new cylinder barrel reworked by a locksmith.

The car wasn't in use and it took me 3 weeks as my health isn't great so I kept after it and had no fasteners left over. HA!

I used to work as an apprentice under a guy that said, with enough time and materials we can build anything.

 

[harringtondav]

...... so I kept after it and had no fasteners left over. HA!
.

That's my test. I can say the same when I work on my cars or boat. I took my daughter's old laptop and dropped in a new optical/DVD drive and a new motherboard. It's working fine as I type. And I met my goal: < four of those tiny screws without a home.

 

[sam60]

I can do computer builds easily as it doesn't take much contortion. I hate working on anything near a dash. I can not sit upside down any longer. Good job getting it done HD!

 

[ezbtr]

all my old booboos make it tough to climb over, lift, squat, bend and stretch after years of beating my body up, off to the shop it goes, nut at least I know lots to not get screwed - last truck job was installing mudflaps on my 2012 F150 EB 4x4 about 8 mos ago

 

[aspeck]

And I met my goal: < four of those tiny screws without a home.

Murphy's Law says if you take something apart and put it back together enough times you will have enough leftover parts to make a duplicate!