How do you replace the starter on a 1997 Toyota Corolla DX 1.8?

Answer 1

OK..it gets a little involved here; Drive it on a stable Flooring surface. Jack it up. BRACE it...on the front right with a jack stand,PARKING BRAKE FULLY ON,and transmission in PARK if automatic,or FIRST/REVERSE if a standard shift I usually let it cool a bit first..hot cars are not fun to get burnt on. REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION!!!!!! (SAFETY FIRST!!!!) UNHOOK..AND REMOVE THE BATTERY! DO NOT attempt this with the battery IN car..way too many things to go wrong.

REMOVE The AIRFILTER Box cover,Hose,and filter element PULL the Airfilter box...lots of plastic fiddly snap ons for wire looms (I just broke mine,it DOENST NEED THEM,it only makes it a bit quieter..you'll never notice the little rattle with the running engine noises)

LOOK to the REAR of the engine,you'll see the TOP of the starter...loosen and remove the 14MM bolt/nut holding it on now down below PULL the PASSENGER FRONT TIRE... REMOVE the lower ball cotter pin/nut and release it from the lower arm. UNBOLT the VERY large nut in the center of the hub(you might have to make the dented in area with the roundness of the remaining nut,to allow it to spin.) With a LARGE...VERY large punch,HIT the center of the drive shaft,until it drops a bit and releases from the hub...DO NOT TRY TO GET IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH...it wont go. REMOVE THE Tie Rod end from the knuckle,by pulling the cotter pin and removing the nut,theeeen the knuckle will be free enough to allow the drive shaft to fall free from the hub. USE a VERY large screwdriver or prybar,and release the shaft from the transmission..it'll "POP" when it releases...then you can take it out of the car. this will ALLOW you to pull the arm low enough to REMOVE the starter.

remove the 10mm nut for the power TO the starter remove the Trigger wire(it has a STRANGE plug that locks onto the starter,it HAS a release,just pry CAREFULLY on the release,it'll snap loose THENnnn the LAST 14MM bolt on the starter,it'll now drop free.. HASTLE it around the REAR of the engine working to the front of the car,THEN PULL THE LOWER ARM DOWN...it wont clear unless the arm drops about two inches.

THEN install the new starter,the one bolt you removed from the bottom,screw in the LAST 14MM bolt on the starter into the transmission LOOSELY!!!!!!!

GO up top,reinstall the TOP bolt,TIGHTEN THIS ONE FIRMLY,but NOT all the way... Go below,tighten the bottom bolt to final spec. RE-ATTACH ALL THE WIRES...make sure the trigger wire is snapped in fully. GO up top,FIRMLY tighten to spec the top bolt.. Re-install everything you removed up top then down below RE-INSTALL THE DRIVE SHAFT,push the transmission end util it POPS and locks into place,then thread it into the hub until it bottoms out,then spin on a NEW HUB NUT....tighten snugly....wait until it is down on the ground and you can tighten it fully,just use it to get the drive shaft to make full penetration Lower ball joint bolt and NEW cotter pin TIE rod end/and NEW cotter pin. REINSTALL TIRE... set it on the ground....TIGHTEN TO SPEC YOUR HUB NUT REINSTALL THE AIRFILTER BOX/HOSE/COVER/ELEMENT Reinstall the battery(MAKE SURE THE IGNITION IS OFF!!!!!) Hook up battery... LOOK AT EVERYTHING...see if ANYTHING is loose.. CHECK EVERY BOLT YOU TOUCHED TO SEE THAT IT IS TIGHT, MAKE SURE ALL WIRES ARE IN PLACE... Crank it...does it crank?? it should fire MUCH better then when you started....good luck.. took me about a hour WITH power tools,and I had to figure it all out : (