Chevette Starter

I can't get my 81 chevette starter out of the engine.I managed to disconnect the mounting bolts and unhook the wires but theres no space to pull it out.The bottom is blocked by the steering stem and the top is blocked by the master cylinder and numerous lines and hoses.Any ideas?

 

Any chance unbolting one or both motor mounts and raising the engine slightly would help? Been a long time since I've seen a Chevette.

 

Sort of like changing the #8 spark plug on an early Nova V8. Quite often found 7 autolites and one delco when doing tune ups. Probably the same thing on the Chevette.

 

I done many Chevette starters and fuel pumps in my day but darned if I can remember the way.
As far as I can remember you dont have to remove stuff but you have to hold your lip to the left and then................................ I forget...........I will post back if I remember. I do know that they were difficult so dont feel bad that it wont come out first try

 

If I took off the motor mounts would there be anything to disconnect before raising with floor jack.

 

Not usually. In most cars you can get a few inches of travel before you run out of slack in any lines or wiring. Just have to watch carefully and make sure you are jacking in a solid spot. Generally okay to jack at the oil pan, but use a block of wood as a buffer between the jack and the pan.

 

I have done this in two different ways. Patience is absolutely a must. First remove the air cleaner. Easiest way is to remove your master cylinder (use a good wrench on the brake line fittings or you can get into trouble) and if it has it a brace below it remove it too. You will need to move some hoses aside and detach the power brake booster only if you have to. You may have to, but that's not that hard. I believe you may also have to detach the fuel line from the carb. Now all you have to do is to pull it up and twist and you will still have to sort of pull forcibly to get it out.

The way most manuals tell you to do it is to remove the steering column assembly and pull it up and out of the way.
You have to remove the ignition coil cover if it is in the way. You need to remove the plastic cover under the vehicle and detach the steering coupler in order to pull the steering column up and out of the way. then you can pull it out from below. Either way is a lot of work. Love the shoveits. No room to work on them. Good luck!

 

I am presuming the last post was not a joke? You have to do all that to get out a starter? Good golly.

Old Chevettes need to be inspected to make sure rear axle mount is not rusting off the car!! (I know all about that!)

 

My wife and I have great (ha, ha) memories of Chevette's. Her '79 crapped the tranny with 1500 miles on the odometer the weekend we were driving for her to meet my parents.

 

We finally got the old one out and the new one in via of unbolting the master cylinder.Hooked up the bottom mounting bolt and now struggling with the top one.Will it work alright with just the bottom one in? The engine mounting bolts look really tough to get to as they're angled in toward the engine,we are thinking about getting a piece a vacuum hose and snugging the bolt in the hose and snaking in from the top of engine.