Starter install help!

[Longrod]

I'm trying to install a new starer in my 1994 two wheel drive 2 door, 8 valve Geo Tracker with automatic transmission. After an hour of pulling, pushing and giggling I got the old starter out but after two hours of trying I can't get the new starter back in. The new one is identical to the old one but I just can't muscle it into position. The old one finally came out under the car (with great difficulty) but the new one just won't go back in. Should it go in from the top??? There just doesn't seem to be enough room. What am I doing wrong? Should it be this difficult?

[fixkick]

this (8v is more easy)
http://www.fixkick.com/belts.html#starter

cheers, and happy holiday's

I'm trying to install a new starer in my 1994 two wheel drive 2 door, 8 valve Geo Tracker with automatic transmission. After an hour of pulling, pushing and giggling I got the old starter out but after two hours of trying I can't get the new starter back in. The new one is identical to the old one but I just can't muscle it into position. The old one finally came out under the car (with great difficulty) but the new one just won't go back in. Should it go in from the top??? There just doesn't seem to be enough room. What am I doing wrong? Should it be this difficult?

[Longrod]

Okay. I disconnected the negative battery terminal. I disconnected the battery cable and spade ignition wires going to the solenoid. I disconnected the two bolts holding the starter. After that with great difficulty (over an hour) I got the starter vertical and pulled it out from the bottom (underside of the car). My problem is that I can't push the new one in the same way the old one came out. I know this makes NO sense but I just can't do it. I got my old one out from below (under the car) but I just can't get the new one back in the same way the old one came out. I'm not in good shape (64 years old with health problems) and gravity is NOT on my side. Also I can't get the starter in from the top. Are you saying that if I remove the charcoal canister the starter will go in easily from the top? I know that removing the charcoal canister makes installing a new alternator easy but will removing the charcoal canister make installing the starter motor easier? I do have an 8 valve engine and I do NOT have 4 wheel drive. I just need (really NEED) how to install my new starter. I'm sure I have the right starter since it looks exactly like my old starter. This is driving me crazy!!! Any and ALL advice will be greatly appreciated!

[fixkick]

it can only go 3 ways. (plus the wild)
1; out the top, with the intake manifold off. (you just lost all your water coolant AF)
2: out bottom if , Olive Oyl does it. ? super super hard way. (you should get a medal for getting it out, imo.)
3: to the front past the missing Alternator. there is also a brace under the intake the had to come off , if not missing. see all photos. below.
4w:pull engine, nah
5w: pull head with intake in place. ,nah
6w: cut holes in side of fender with plasma cutter. , nah (but is popular on many cars, fwd)
7w: remove all that STUFF on right side (left facing engine) all those many cables , hoses, etc, in the way, never.
8w: remove engine mounts and jack engine up, far as can and gain access.... (like on some Corvettes )


i had to do #3 on all mine...
how this is done depends on the persons size, really, and tools, (extensions to reach top rear bolt.)

this is the 16v head , but the starter is same place. the G16 is used on many suzuki cars not just fwd. but rwd. (swifts is one)

16v


8v (1991 all , same on 89-95 usa)



8v


8v





last is the brace in the way, see part ID 28 next



its not easy, that is for sure, take hard work to get a starter out and back in, INTAKE in place. (pulling intake , you lose your water, id avoid that act)

cheers.

Okay. I disconnected the negative battery terminal. I disconnected the battery cable and spade ignition wires going to the solenoid. I disconnected the two bolts holding the starter. After that with great difficulty (over an hour) I got the starter vertical and pulled it out from the bottom (underside of the car). My problem is that I can't push the new one in the same way the old one came out. I know this makes NO sense but I just can't do it. I got my old one out from below (under the car) but I just can't get the new one back in the same way the old one came out. I'm not in good shape (64 years old with health problems) and gravity is NOT on my side. Also I can't get the starter in from the top. Are you saying that if I remove the charcoal canister the starter will go in easily from the top? I know that removing the charcoal canister makes installing a new alternator easy but will removing the charcoal canister make installing the starter motor easier? I do have an 8 valve engine and I do NOT have 4 wheel drive. I just need (really NEED) how to install my new starter. I'm sure I have the right starter since it looks exactly like my old starter. This is driving me crazy!!! Any and ALL advice will be greatly appreciated!

[fixkick]

working on cars is a practice of least path to resistance
I found alternator off, then pull brace 28 was the easy way.... more steps, but easy, less cussing, just a progression.
down below a ton of crap in the way, if A/T trans, more stuff, cooling lines brakes, etc.
and the cross member is center of engine, and mounts in the way,, i cant even photo that, its such a mess there,

[fixkick]

one more view, this is TRANS out, new clutch day

ignoring 4wd axle.
that top rear right side, curve is where the starter plate goes. and you can see it , will not go to the rear. ever. ,, and shows the mess of cables and hoses in the way, too. lots in the way. and that intake brace #28

[fixkick]

in the shop manuals.
they have just one word phrase , in the instructions.
gain access to.

the key word , "gain" , can the long long hard work... and depends on size of person doing.....

[Longrod]

one more view, this is TRANS out, new clutch day

ignoring 4wd axle.
that top rear right side, curve is where the starter plate goes. and you can see it , will not go to the rear. ever. ,, and shows the mess of cables and hoses in the way, too. lots in the way. and that intake brace #28

I did pull the manifold brace (part #28) as well as the EGR which opened up some space and makes a topside installation seem possible. It appears I still need to pull the battery and the bracket holding the hoses going to the charcoal canister to have enough room to slide in the new starter. Geesh, are all starters this complicated to install? I think I'll make it with just a few more parts removed. Thanks a lot for your advice so far. I think I'm finally on the right track.

[fixkick]

this is not that hard, try doing cam belts on FWD cars.
at least you can get to it by removing simple parts, egr, brace is nothing, with intake off you lose the coolant.much harder that.
whats wrong with the alternator? are the bolts seized>?

the reason its so hard, is that cool "cross flow head". exh, on one sides and intake the other, blocking lots of things.
that intake is the problem. see? and not just this car,
on some cars it takes magic to get the oil filter off...
some front wheel drive cars, the starter or the filter is on rear side, and very hard go work on.
better the starter hard than the filter..... seems to me.
mine comes out alternator pulled. not so hard that, 3 bolts, wire and its out.
http://www.fixkick.com/engine/ALT-adj1.jpg

here is chev 6
see how easy it is : I had a 1960
http://www.hotrodders.com/gallery/data/5...NE_SIX.jpg
but the head cant breath and is gutless.
the cross flow heads block things, but boy can it make power....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossflow_cylinder_head

check out how big your intake valves are.... all for this nice head.

I take it the starter fails the hot wire tests.?
cheers !
and happy holiday's

one more view, this is TRANS out, new clutch day


ignoring 4wd axle.
that top rear right side, curve is where the starter plate goes. and you can see it , will not go to the rear. ever. ,, and shows the mess of cables and hoses in the way, too. lots in the way. and that intake brace #28

I did pull the manifold brace (part #28) as well as the EGR which opened up some space and makes a topside installation seem possible. It appears I still need to pull the battery and the bracket holding the hoses going to the charcoal canister to have enough room to slide in the new starter. Geesh, are all starters this complicated to install? I think I'll make it with just a few more parts removed. Thanks a lot for your advice so far. I think I'm finally on the right track.