How do you install a starter on 1999 Chrysler Concorde?

Answer 1

This is not an easy job. My advice is don't attempt this job if you don't have some experience, decent tools and a lot of patience, It's would be better left for professionals with right equipment. Even with these it took about 4 hrs to remove and install. This is mostly due to the fact that Chrysler built the car around the starter.

First to make it easer on your self put the car up jack stands so the wheels are about 6in from the ground, safety first, you must use jack stands. I put mine on driver up jack stands after I jacked mine up. I couldn't just drive on to it because I didn't want to rip off the Air Dam. If yours is missing; you're good.

The Starter is located on the driver side lower rear of engine. Before you start this project disconnect the negative ground wire from Jump start splice on the rear passenger side of the engine compartment. Three bolts hold the starter on and you will be barely be able to reach the bolts. Loosen the bottom two first, and then remove the middle bolt. The positive terminal is on the middle of the three bolts and makes it impossible to get to the top bolt if you don't remove it first. Remove the left side engine mount or at least completely loosen it. Jack the left side engine to remove the engine mount. On mine the bolts were extra long so I couldn't remove it, but just loosening it worked. Although I didn't do this, it might actual be helpful to remove the oil filter. There is no space to work and every little bit helps. Remove the top bolt, the battery cable it is extremely stiff and will get in your way as you try to remove the top bolt. A ratcheting box wrench really comes in handy. I have a 5 degree wrench and could only get an eighth of an inch on each turn of the wrench. There is very little clearance so once it was loose enough that I could turn it buy hand I used a socket on a long extinction to remove it. I did this by hand, from the back of the transmission tunnel, because there is not enough room to get a wrench in the space provided. Remove the bottom bolt.

Slide the starter back, don't loose track of the spacer ring. If your lucky and have a cable long enough, slide it out and rotate it around to remove positive cable and disconnect plug wire.

The wire loom on mine was about half an inch too short so it was a real bi*ch to get it out. If you have removed the oil filter it might be possible to remove positive cable and disconnect plug wire from rear of starter. On mine I just forced it, and luckily nothing broke.

Congratulations your half way.

The install is reverse of the above. But here are some helpful tips. Reattach the cables to the rear of the starter first. It's going to be a bi*ch, but if you put it on the frame rail you can get the cables attached. Then rotate it around, put the spacer ring back on and use the middle bolt to guide it back on. Don't tighten the middle bolt because, your going to half to take it back out because it will just get in the way. Install the bottom bolt, start the top, remove the middle and tighten the top and bottom to position it correctly. Pay attention to the spacer ring as the threads of the bolts will tend to get it in cockeyed; it has to be flat against the housing. On mine that's what happened and when I started the motor it contacted the fly wheel, luckily it didn't destroy it, but I had to take it all apart again, take the ring out and beat it into shape with a mallet and put it back together. Oh great, a two for one!! You can't really see the rings position from below, if you put your head between the strut and the control arm, you can just see the rings position over the frame rail. I wouldn't have even done this if the car weren't on drive on stands. Put the positive cable back on the middle bolt and install. Dont forget to put the motor mounts back and tighten them to spec. Reattach the negative and you're done.

Easy, yeah right!!

Personally the engineers that came up with this configuration need to have there asses kicked, come on what the hell were you guys thinking.

I recently replaced starter on 1995 Concorde with 3.3L engine. It was not too difficult - about 3 hours start to finish for an average Joe home mechanic. I would remove battery and plastic battery support housing to allow easier access. Remove positive cable and solenoid control wire. Then remove the 3 starter bolts. Most of time is spent here jockeying the wrench to get them loose. 3/8 inch ratchet works best for most of the work. Pull starter out sideways at 45 degree angle and it clears motor mount okay. Install new starter by putting it in at a 45 degree angle as well. Good advice from above post to use jack stands to securely support car. Also helps to remove splash guard between tire and engine compartment so there is more visibility and room to work.