How do you change a starter in a Chevy Chevette?

Answer 1

Changing Chevette StartersI just had to do this myself. Let me just say... this is one of the hardest Chevy starter changes you'll ever have to make. They did not design this so that the starter can be easily accessed. It is completely caged in by the manifold, the body, the suspension / steering, and the junk on the right side. You can't really even see the starter in a Chevette without taking something off, let alone touching it. I know more than a few mechanics that will groan if you mention Chevette starters. This is truly the biggest pain you will ever encounter.

First... I'm gonna state the obvious... DISCONNECT THE BATTERY!!!

I would recomend lfiting the entire engine out. That is the easiest way. If you don't have the means to do this, then what you need to do is free the motor mounts so that you can tip the engine to the passenger side. This can be done while the tranny is still attached. BE CAREFULL. The way I did this was to put a hydraulic floor jack under the engine... the front of your oil pan should be able to hold this weight. When you ge tit in position, brace it. You do not want this falling on your hands when you're working. I used the hole on the engine block that is located at the front on the driver's side. I put a srewdriver through it to hold the iron pipe in place I put under it as a verticle brace.

Now you need to remove the breather from the carb. The starter has 2 bolts... the one on the bottom can be accessed easily enough while under the car. The one on the top is the cussing fit. You're gonna have to squeaze your hand between the firewall and the intake manifold. Your only going to be able to turn this one a quarter turn at a time. Have fun. After you have it out a little and the starter starts to drop, you might be able to snake an 18inch extension with a socket on it into the hole.

Once its off, make sure to keep track of the wires on the solenoid. Don't let one of them get lost. This is the part that there is no easy way around. You're gonna have to disconnect just about every wire and hose on that side of the engine in order to twist and pull that starter out. Its slightly easier to slide the next one in. Then everything just goes in reverse. Make sure you reattache the wires on the solenoid before bolting it up. Put the top bolt in first. It'll make your life a WHOLE lot easier. Now have fun reattaching all of the vacuum lines, fuel line, and wires. Double, even triple check everything and make sure its all plugged up right. Now cross your fingers and hope you hear the beautiful sound of it cranking.

another suggestion

you do not need to pull the engine out of the chevette all you have to do to replace the starter is as follows i have done this many times

this is the easiest way i found

Step 1 unscrew and remove plastic panel below steering wheel

2. pull back carpet enough to remove 3 bolts from the steering column on the floor

3. remove 2 bolts from metal bracket holding steering column to dashboard let steering wheel rest on drivers seat

4. jack up car (remember to chock back wheels!!! bricks large rocks firewood just do it) then unbolt rag joint on steering Assembly ( follow steering shaft down to small circular thing with 2 bolts) unbolt this

5.fold drivers seat down and pull steering wheel and column to back seat or until it stops you may have to disconnect the wiring going to steering wheel

6. remove wires from starter

7. get some extensions for ratchet reach in and unbolt old starter it will be very tight but is much better then removing engine you will have some trouble with the bolt on the side by the engine you will not have much room to move ratchet but it will work.

8. to put it all back together just reverse directions

Have worked on chevettes for over ten years now this is the easiest way i have found

keep driving your vette i still drive my 78 everywhere

Myk

1/7/2009