Starter replacement story

[Saturn]

My pathy has had occasional slow starts, have to crank it a little to get it going, I ran a starting system check on it with our machine at work (tire shop) and it came up fine, didn't realize you have to re-run the test over and over until it actually does the slow start, it started up just fine when running the test. So I figured it was just a quirk of the car. wrong. Friday night, go to get hiarcut, lady cutting my hair has an Integra, her clutch died on her way here and she had to get towed in to work. fate has selected its victims. Its dark out, ~8 o'clock, pathy doesnt start. Have to be at work at 6:30 next day (saturday, my company sucks like that), Try the hammer on starter thing, no cigar, call buddy to bring me a starter from parts store and help me out (he owes me one), he can't. Mom shows up, takes me to autozone, buy the only starter for my truck they have in the country and the haynes manual. Too tired to mess with car that night. AAA tows my truck and drops it in the driveway. Drive moms van the next day, lucky she doesn't work Saturdays. Work 6:30-5:00, no break, go home, parents are out of town. I'm here with my truck that doesn't start, no one to help me, my toolbox, a lot of lights, and a date to go on the next day. Sit down for 30 minutes, drink a jaritos mandarin soda. I've never been on my own to fix a car like this, always had an experienced mechanic or DIYer watching over my shoulder, but now its just me, 18 years old and it's time to find out if I'm a man or a boy. It's just two bolts and a wire. that's all. that's it. right? Gotta move the wiring harness and some other stuff, spend tons of time getting it loose, wrench the little f****r out of there, order pizza (thank God for late night delivery), transfer metal gasket thing over to new starter, compare them to make sure I have the right part. I do. Grit teeth and start wrestling the new one in after taking pics of the inside of the engine with my borescope, curious. Shove it in after lining it up wrong a couple times, hook it all back up. My truck was covered in oil (rear main seal leak) and clay/mud (Ocala National Forest), and now so am I. Work has never made me look this filthy. Lower the rig, reconnect the battery, put key in, hold breath, accessory on, give it a flick, it hesitates for a second then cranks up. Shout of victory probably wakes neighbors two blocks away. Look at clock, 11:27, I've been up since 5 and working most of that time but I have a joyride to get too. get home just before midnight and pass out in the shower for a bit. In bed at 12:30.

 

This is kind of a weird post, but I felt like sharing it, this was kind of a turning point for me, I'd never been on my own to do something like this, and I didn't really have time to prepare for it, and I got it done with nothing but my wits and my tools. Haynes manual wasn't all that helpful, glad i have it though, it's come in handy since then. Replacing a starter may not seem like a big deal to yall, and it doesn't to me either, but it was the circumstances that made this feel like climbing K2. So yeah that's my story. I don't have a whole lot of pertinent information that yall probably dont already have, but I figured I'd share this anyway cause it seemed interesting to me. Moral of the story: listen to your car, I could've avoided some serious headache by replacing this thing earlier.

[Citron]

If nothing else, it's a nice confidence booster. Good on you for doing it instead of taking it to a mechanic.

[colinnwn]

Congratulations. I've replaced more starters in IH Scouts than I can count. I can do it in 30 minutes.

 

But after buying a starter for my Pathfinder, getting under there and seeing how tight everything was, I didn't even dare try. I just push started it and took it to a mechanic. I still don't think I could do it before I took a sledgehammer to the truck and destroyed everything.

 

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[2milehi]

Today with everybody and their brother putting DIY on youtube, there is a video on how to remove & replace anything.

[Saturn]

Today with everybody and their brother putting DIY on youtube, there is a video on how to remove & replace anything.

I was unable to find a how-to on a VQ powered R50, there were plenty for WD21s, Frontiers, and Xterras, and one video of an alternator for an R50, but nothing for the starter. There just isn't as much DIY info out there for these trucks. The Haynes manual was about as useful as the normal general "how to replace a starter" videos, which basically just say unplug the battery, unplug the starter, unbolt the starter, reverse.

[Bunchie]

GREAT story! I'm just having my oatmeal and truly enjoying your tale of mechanical adventure. Everybody needs an "Attaboy" every once and a while...ATTABOY!!! I believe that will have been a defining moment for you. You're a young buck, like MY son and these milestone events will give you the confidence to take on bigger challenges life is bound to throw your way!

 

When I was much younger, my good friend Dave made a comment one day: He said, "I can't". His dad, Don, replied, "CAN'T MEANS WON'T!" Those 3 words have stuck with me decades later.

 

My Pathy is now showing all the signs of "Death Wobble". The good boys and girls on this forum have a myriad of experience to pull from and using their knowledge I now know WHAT to do and WHAT to watch out for. Never be afraid of asking for insight/help on a subject you are unfamiliar with. I'm 57 and a security service tech w/30 years experience under my belt and I STILL ask Q's when I'm at a loss w /a problem. Life is tough: Work SMART, not HARD!

 

Cheers, Victor

[chevyaddict83]

Good on you brother! There is only one way to learn, and that's doing it.

 

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[fixinto]

a nubby wrench, and 14mm 3/8ths socket and ratchet. bout an hour and some blood sweat and tears later, and BAM she fires off. good feeling aint it?"

congrats and good for you man.

Edited May 8, 2017 by fixinto