Awesome! Thanks for the picture I found it now. Man I wish the engine was out of the car it looks hard to get to. Wish me luck!

It's probably the hardest thing to do on these cars. Disconnect the battery + first. The big + cable goes to it. If you can't get it out the passenger side (due to all the stuff in the way) you'll have to take it out the bottom. Here is a picture of it (red + cable is attached). Removing the left drive shaft (in pic) makes it easier to get out if you have to take it out the bottom (pm me for how to do this by just removing 4 bolts).

[Minor correction: always disconnect the battery's - (black) terminal first. If you short that terminal to the frame, nothing happens. Shorting the positive has been known to vaporize wrenches and burn whoever's holding it very seriously.]

I assumed he already disconnected the battery and was referring to the battery + cable on the starter but yes, Defiant's above correction is absolutely right. Always disconnect the negative cable at the battery first before any electrical work (and record your radio station presets for later). Since while disconnecting a battery terminal the wrench can easily touch metal, doing the negative one first is the safe and proper way to go. Thanks for that reminder Defiant.

Takes me 15 mins to completely swap it out. I hear a lot of people saying to go through the bottom, but I never had to. Remove the two bolts holding it in, and you should be able to slide it out right in between the heater hoses, the remove the two wires to the solonoid. Installation is the reverse. It is a tight fit, but it will come out, just pull the battery out as well for more room.
Mike

Thanks for asking this question. I needed to know myself but was too embarrassed to ask. (hehehehe) I to have changed some starters on other cars too. But I will be dammed if I could find it on this car.

haha good luck

OK you see that metal peice there. The round part where the starter goes into? Its a metal plate right? If so where can i get one of those i brioke mine taken my engine out.

you need to make sure to have that plate in there or else the starter will not work right and you will get some bad contact. It spaces the starter from the flywheel.

it looks hard to replace but it's not terrible.

Ha Im not running a started plate. Havent for awhile now and havent had problems.

Ok well where can i get one. I like to be safe then sorry thats why this is taking longer then anticipated. Cause im upgrading my clutch also and being 17 money isnt easy to find. So i definitly want that peice. Where can i get one.

You could call JNZ tuning for that plate. They get their orders in two times a week, and will be able to have yours to you in about one to two days from the time it comes to their shop. Their website is www.JNZtuning.com

Is the name started plate?

luv2rallye said:

Removing the left drive shaft (in pic) makes it easier to get out if you have to take it out the bottom (pm me for how to do this by just removing 4 bolts).

Click to expand...

Please share this info.
I have torn apart half my engine bay over the last 2 hours and although the starter is now finally unbolted, I cannot find a hole large enough to pull it through.

Ok I forgot the damper fork bolt so it's 5 on the FWD. On the AWD there's an additional 2 more holding the center bearing bracket to engine (so 7 total). But all these are large bolts and easy to take out (especially with an air gun).

Left axel removal from tranny proceedure: Unbolt the 2 lower arms at the chassis end and remove the damper fork bolt (on AWD also remove 2 bolts holding the center bearing bracket to engine) and the entire assembly will swing out far enough to pull the axel out of the tranny. You don't need to remove them from the hub or undo any ball joints.

I hate to bump such an old thread, but if the starter plate was not installed and the starter grinds when you attempt to to start the car, could this damage the starter or the flywheel?

Also are these plates availble at pepboys?

If the starter is grinding then there is damage being done.

Would damage be done to both the starter and the flywheel or just one?

Could be one or both. Pray it's not the flywheel. Don't use starter until fixed or you will seriously wished you hadn't