Polman

My Mechanic has both lifts occupied and cant change my starter until next week. Im running out of vaccation and havent had any chance to drive my car the last weeks. There fore I have to do it myself….does anyone knows a god DIY on this matter……

mjshira

this is VERY easy. if you have a floor jack and jack stands, basic tools, you can do it in less than one hour. It's behind the engine on the passenger side, disconnect the battery first. Raise the car, place your jack stands. Shake the car physically to make sure it is secure on the jack stands. leave the floor jack under the engine as an extra level of safety. Then remove the wires from the starter, I think is a 10mm but I can't recall. Then remove the two nutts that hold the starter on the trans bell housing. One is a 8MM allen key, the other is a 15mm nutt I think. Then remove the starter. Reverse the process with your new/rebuilt starter. You may need to turn the shaft of the starter to align it the teeth of the starter with the ring gear... take your time, post pics and questions if you get stuck.

Polman

Great mjshira....Im on it as we speak...

Polman

Hi again, whats left in speaking moment is the upper nutt.....How in the heck can I eaven get close to it....Its up there some where I know...
Do I have to loosen the Driveshaft?

mjshira

no need to do anything with the drive shaft. you are going to have to raise the car higher or be more flexible ;-) I would use a swivle socket with an extension.

Polman

Heres what I got.....

JasonAndreas

It is possible with the right combination of extensions to find it but the easiest way to do this is to put a jack under the engine and lower it and the transmission by a few inches, otherwise you can spend hours fighting with it. Its the same thing with the clutch slave cylinder. You can spend hours fighting with it or just lower the transmission a few inches and be done with it in a few minutes. And remember that when you go to lower the engine you need to first raise it with your jack slightly in-order to take pressure off the two motor mount nuts. Otherwise you risk bending the engine carrier/suspension when you try to loosen the nuts.

mjshira

Jason is right but I didn't want to advocate that to someone who might not be that mechanical. You can loosen (don't remove!) the trans and engine bolts and lower the drivetrain as Jason discribes and it will be easier.

Polman

Well…I have absolutely no fear of getting in to things, but to attack a precision car as the Porsche is a bit new for me. My old Herbie was no problem! How to loosen the motor and transmission mounts? I see some engine mounts thru the engine hood. Could really need that extra inches that could give my hands…right now I’m bleeding and my hands are so full of dirt under the nails…..I wont get lucky with the wife tonight for shore! But **** the same …I just want to drive my Porsche….

mjshira

you can handle this then. the Porsche is a car, a great car, but a car. take your time, you can get this done. lower the engine and trans. First support the drivetrain with your jack. Make sure that you infact raise the drivetrain a little bit, but don't lift the car off the jack stands..., then loosen the trans and engine bolts. loosen them all, then lower the jack a bit and carefully watch the drivetrain, you should only need a little bit of lowering to increase your access to the starter. repeat the process slowly and be patient, you'll then get access to the starter. good luck. sorry about your wife, she sounds like mine in that respect.

Polman

Yeea...I wasn’t lucky ( with the wife) , so I’m back here in the garage! Its 01.22 in the nigh there. I’m just unsure of the transmission mounts. Is it correct to attack the engine mount thru the hatch? There is the possibility to "slack" the motor as far as I can see with the mounts. Is there any other stuff to think of when lowering, I mean hydraulic or fuel lines that will take unnecessary pressure?
-Sorry to be a pain in the… with all questions, but hopefully more newbie will read and learn…

mjshira

you lower the bolts from under the car. for both. support the drivetrain FIRST.

JasonAndreas

It probably wouldn't hurt to undo the two spark plug wires running from the ignition coils to the dual distributor.

To undo the engine mount nuts from below you need to remove the plastic plug on each side of the rear engine tin.

tbennett017

Also look here for some information

http://www.porsche964.co.uk/technical/starter.htm

mjshira

you shouldn't need to lower the car that much and therefore not need to disconnect other things to gain the advantage you need in space to allow you to disconnect that nutt. Make sure you use a swivel socket!