removing old starter
 

my 97 sentra with auto tranny has the starter under the intake manifold. I've removed straters under the car on other vehicles.

It's such a tight spot. Anyone whose done give advice on removal.

RE: removing old starter
 

I just replaced the Starter motor and solenoid 3 weeks ago, of the same year as yours.
Man it was a mother.
Yours is a 1.6 engine, right? The worst part on this is not getting the old one out, is getting the new one in.

You will Need all metric(obviously), 12mm, 14mm used the most.
Lots of socket extensions, i had a 3", 6" and 9" and used them all.
A board and pillow you can get very, very dirty, this is not a ergonomically correct job.
Safety glasses/goggles, you don't want this crap in your eyes.
People, and time. It took, my G/f's father, his best friend myself 4 hours to complete.
Don't forget the panther piss. (use the straw that came with it).


Like the books all say, this vehicle contains air bags, yada yada, when ever working on electrical componants yada yada,

<disclaimer>anyway, disconnect the battery, wait ten minutes, It may not matter, but it won't kill you to disconnect it.</disclaimer>
There is another reason to disconnect the battery, it is in the way.
You have to remove the air cleaner. [that too, is just in the way.]
to gain access to the bolts. There are 2 bolts that hold the starter in, and they thread at opposite directions.

If you can, remove the O2 sensor under the passenger side. use either a 22.5 mm or 7/8th wrench.
Or get the loaner tool from Partsplus/AZone.
If it won't move, don't waste your time with it, just make a note to go to a shop when that needs to be replaced. : - )

***Note, if you give your self a few days lead time, and you don't use the car during the lead time, before S-day, spray it liberally with panther-piss 2x a day,every day, 4 days ahead. This may let you remove it.***


There is a Cross-member that has to be relocated out of the way. You will see it from the bottom, it looks like the starter motor, when unbolted will rest on it perpendicularly.

Use your socket wrench to take out the bottom cross-member bolt. Don't mix it up with the starter bolts.
Then get your 3" and 9" extension bars and the 14mm socket. Loosen(do not remove) the top bolt of the cross-member.
Swing the cross-member out of the way and tighten it back, to keep it there. (again, the panther is your friend, try NOT to get it in your eyes)


Remove the single conductor plastic coupler.
Next unscrew the nut connecting the starter to the + of battery, there is almost no room for it to go, plus the rubber cap gets in the way.
The negative side of the battery connects with an i-let on one of the retainer bolts. (should be the bolt that tightens toward the passenger side.)


Now, the starter will catch between the bottom of the engine and the exhaust pipe (O2 sensor).

This is the 2nd worst part. You have wiggle the thing just right and it will slip right though the opening.

Now to get the new one in. It goes between the exhaust pipe and engine a lot easier then you would expect.

Now comes the worst part, aligning it. this took, the three of us taking turns under the car while one of the others tried threading one of the bolts in.
Be paitent. once you get one in the other should be less problematic. Don't forget the negative battery cable on the upper bolt.

Next comes the positive battery cable. Since we have yet to come up with retracting cables, this again will require some paitence.
once the i-let is on the terminal, torque it home. finish torquing the mounting bolts.

Re-connect the single conductor plastic coupler, and reset the cross-member.

Put the rest back together, including the O2 sensor (if you were able to remove it.)
start it up.

If nothing happens, recheck your connections.

That's all folks