STarter replacement, drop subframe or no?

[jmgtp]

I have a 'mini' starter from a 3400 that I want to use to replace my bulky genII style (huge non gear reduction) starter. The genII starter works good but struggles just a bit on a hot engine. I think the cause is partly from the battery in the trunk allowing for a voltage drop due to the length of wiring and the rest due to heat soak of the starter itself. I'm hoping the gear reduction torque advantage of the new style starter will make up for it.

So, after looking at the massive size of the starter I see a few things in the way of removal: subframe and ac lines and maybe the oil filter.

What do you guys do? I think I could get away with using my engine hoist to hold the engine up and then dropping the subframe down a bit to clear the starter but that can potentially throw my alignment off and I don't like the idea of getting beneath the car with nothing but hydraulics holding the engine above me. Any way around it?

[ghrarhg]

Not sure what the GTP has in the way, but I just dealt with this on my car last week. Being the early 3.4 your car should have the oil cooler between the filter and block correct? That's your biggest obstacle, or at least it was for me. I used to be able to pull the filter off and slide it all the way down and out near the A/C compressor. Not it takes a lot of maneuvering, but it will come out. Removing the oil filter was a must. Taking off the cover on the transmission (on the bottom front of the bellhousing) helped too.

[jmgtp]

Thanks for the input... yes it does have the oil/water cooler. Not sure what cover on the bell housing you're talking about - I have the getrag so it prolly doesnt have it.

I just put that oil filter on 2 days ago!
If I can find a set of cradle bushings/bolts at a decent price I may just drop the cradle down, should be easy that way and my cradle bushings look like they are in desperate need of replacement anyway. Not to mention I've reused the torque to yeild cradle bolts so I'm sure they are out of spec. It's more work than I want to do though - I just got done pulling the rear head to replace a freeze plug and I really just want to drive the car and not work on it.


edit: searched rock auto for subframe bushings. Found nothing for pre 94 Ws.... 94 W had them but are they the same as 88-93? Also $23 each! Anyone found them cheaper?

[ghrarhg]

I have a getrag too, but mines a 282. The cover attaches to the transmission side and covers the bottom of the flywheel from getting crap on it.

[jmgtp]

I don't know if the 284 has that cover. From beneath the car I can actually see the teeth on the flywheel. Maybe mine is missing the cover or they just did away with it for the 284.

[bve32k]

The starter should just drop right down. Nothing is in the way. Both bolts are facing down and easy to get to. The wires are not bad to get at neither. Done it many times.

[jmgtp]

The starter should just drop right down. Nothing is in the way. Both bolts are facing down and easy to get to. The wires are not bad to get at neither. Done it many times.

Sounds like you already have the mini starter. The stock starter in my 91 is literally 2x the size of the mini starter.

[pocket-rocket]

Same here. I've always had to pull the oil filter, it will wiggle out from between the frame and a/c lines. And IIRC, there is a cover that it sounds like you are missing.

[jmgtp]

I'll have to give it a try. It cranks weak on a hot engine and I think the mini starter will help a lot.

[pocket-rocket]

I wanted to get one a long time ago, but back when I checked on it (5-6 years ago), they were around $180, and I wasn't willing to part with such a chunk of change like that since my starter at the time was fine.

[jmgtp]

ebay... got mine for $15 on a 30k engine.

[pocket-rocket]

You, my friend, suck big fat hairy fish nuts.