Need advice w/ starter removal

[Efe]

Ok, so I'm getting a hellacious grinding noise when I start the car ... sometimes. Most likely a bad starter sol. I figure I'll change the starter and pray that my flywheel is ok.

So, I removed the intake, fuel line and I even managed to remove 2 bolts that hold the starter in. I can see that each of the 2 flanges on the starter housing have 1 bolt hole and 1 hole for a guide pin. But for the life of me, I can't get the starter off of those darn pins. I wiggled it, pryed it and beat it w/ a hammer, but it won't come off. I don't want to be too harsh b/c of the aluminum bell housing (I think it's aluminum anyway). I've got air power, so I'm thinking about buying an air hammer to try vibrating it.

Anyone have any ideas how to get the starter off those pins?
Also, when the starter is removed, I need to rotate the engine to check the flywheel. So, I'm guessing that I need to somehow turn the crank damper bolt. Will this be possible to do w/ the spark plugs in (overcoming compression)?

btw, I have a 00' svt w/ 65k miles

 

[Tony2005]

Welcome .

"I can't get the starter off of those darn pins. I wiggled it, pryed it and beat it w/ a hammer, but it won't come off."
I haven't done mine but did you try WD40 or Power Lube?
Also the instructions can be found on this Autozone link.
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1b/c3/4b/0900823d801bc34b.jsp

Ray has a video. You may have to wait for him to come on or you can just PM him your email address.
http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/member.php?find=lastposter&t=2993

" I need to rotate the engine to check the flywheel. So, I'm guessing that I need to somehow turn the crank damper bolt. Will this be possible to do w/ the spark plugs in (overcoming compression)?"
Yes.

 

[Efe]

Thanks a bunch Tony. I tried wd40 to no avail. However, the autozone instructions mention a "starter motor-to-transaxle case retaining bolt" and they show some bracket that I don't remember seeing. I'll have to check if my car has that bracket.

 

[Tony2005]

...and they show some bracket that I don't remember seeing. I'll have to check if my car has that bracket.

A CEGer posted recently that he was missing the bracket too. I wonder if the 3L does away with the bracket. Is your SVT 2.5L stock or modded 3L?

 

[Ray]

If he already has the starter bolts out, then he has gone as far as the video would help. It simply outlines the procedure, and location of starter bolts.

If you have the bolts out, use a rubber hammer, of soft blow hammer to tap it back and forth. apply a little heat if you have the means.

 

[Efe]

Mine is stock. I'll have to check it tomorrow since my car is at a buddies house. I'm pretty sure it's not there, but I hope I somehow missed it.

 

[todras]

Only pre98's have the bracket.

 

[Efe]

For anyone having the same problem, here are the results:

Lifting the starter from the transmission after the bolts were removed was much more difficult than removing the bolts (in my case). What to do: take a block of wood and a rubber mallet and hit the starter on the end progressively harder until it "breaks" loose (read: can rock back and forth slightly). After that, if it still doesn't come off (as in my case), then wrap a strap around the starter and have one person stand on top of the engine and pull up on the strap as hard as they can. While that's happening, another person continue to moderately hit the starter w/ the wood & mallet combo. This applies a strong upward force and the required rocking motion.
What not to do: You may gently tap on the pins that hold the starter in place, but do not hit them hard as they will disappear into the transmission if you do.

btw, bench testing my starter seems to show it was in fact defective (at 5 yrs and 65k miles)
Thanks to those that helped out!!!