92 Toyota Corolla

[DutchAcres]

Well, I spent about 4 hours taking out a bad starter motor yesterday. I had a heck of a time getting to the bolts holding it on.

I had the car up on cement blocks, and went at it from both above and below.

The air filter box was removed first.

Any tips on making the reinstallation easier?

Thanks.

[cfabe]

I don't have any tips for your starter, but please consider getting some proper jack stands. Cement blocks are dangerous to use to support a vehicle you're going to be laying under. They can crack/collapse without warning. The jack stands cost less than the labor you saved by doing this repair yourself.

[foxtrapper]

It's fully accessable from below.

[WayneR]

You may want to remove the wheel closest to the starter. That made replacement of the DW's starter on her Corolla easier.

Second the use of stands and chocks on rear wheel.

[raymilosh]

Yup, they're difficult. I remember using long extensions on ratchets to get it out and having to fish it out with difficulty.
So to get it back in easily, you'll have to be in a good head space before you start and maintain it while you work.
I also recommend supporting the car with something that is not brittle.

before going under a car, I always TRY to knock it off the supports I have placed under it. I am still amazed that even after years of experience, I am often able to knock the car down...sometimes with little effort. Had I not checked first all those times, I'd prolly be dead or injured by now, what with all the folks who come to lean on the car while I work and we talk.

[DutchAcres]

Thanks for the safety tips. I've been looking for a set of jack stands and just haven't found them yet. I would have used railroad ties or something like it, but didn't have any.

I was under the car, and found the tie rods were in the way, as well as the exhaust pipe. I didn't think about removing a tire . . . I'll try that.

Thanks for the help.

[DutchAcres]

I survived.

Putting the new part in was a whole lot easier than taking the old one out. Don't know why, but I'm grateful.

The cement blocks I was using were solid. I think they're 4" x 8" x 12." I tried to knock the car off of them before getting under there this time, and couldn't do it. I chocked the back tires 1st too.

Thanks for the help folsk.

- DutchAcres

[MELOC]

if a person does use concrete blocks, they should be sure to put a board across the top of the block to displace the weight of the point of contact across the entire block. it is easy for a vehicle frame or whatever to act like a chisel and crack the contact point of the vehicle and the block weakening the block. the same holds true for what the block sits on. if you have a nice gravel bed, you might be ok, but if the block is sitting on the tip of a large stone, the entire block could split and crumble under the weight of the vehicle.

[HermitJohn]

I prefer chunks of log over concrete blocks. Modern concrete blocks dont look as hefty as they used to. If you buy ramps or jack stands, look how they are engineered. Friend bought some bargain ramps and they collapsed as he drove car up on them. I had seen them before he drove on them and even suggested I weld some more metal to them to reinforce them. Oh no, professional engineers designed them, they are plenty strong.... Not a big car either. No car is going to collapse a chunk of solid log foot and half diameter.