JGromada Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 this was going well until I dropped the bottom bolt putting the new starter on. Stupid me! It dropped near the steering rack and has now been lost. I went to the dealer hoping they would have the bottom nut. No way! The dealer did not have the nut, didn't know anything at all about the specifics and would have to special order it! Does anyone know anything about the bottom nut holding the starter in place? I want to try a hardware store tomorrow. thanks 98 Subaru OB AT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 get a magnet long reach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log1call Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Did you try asking one of the mechanics if he had a nut laying around that would do the job? In my workshop I could pick up a handful out of the old nut and bolt bin for you in a second. Unfortunatly for you, I'm in New Zealand! It will be a ten mill by, hmm, I think it is 1.25, and it should have a built in washer under it, not an actual washer but a flange that stops it loosening or digging into the aluminium(did I pronounce that funny?). (Edit) If the subaru agent can't/won't help, go see a toyota, honda, nissan agent. They all use the same nuts all over the cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 take the top bolt with you, the threads will be the same. the diameter may be different, and of course the socket size is 17mm. get your best guess and then get one larger and one smaller. hopefully this will save you a second trip. maybe get a flat and lock washer as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Ru Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Which nut? Unless you special order from subaru, the exact part number probably won't help. http://static.opposedforces.com/epc_img/366494909302.png Most stuff on subies is 10,12,14,17,19,22 mm Sorry can't narrow it down, probably smaller than 19mm (19 is a lug nut for reference) Go to a hardware store and get a few choices, dichromate plated if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log1call Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Most "stuff", on subarus are six, eight and ten, with a few twelves. For the record, we quote bolts sizes by the diameter of the shank, not the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 i think that one is a 14mm head??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Ru Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Most "stuff", on subarus are six, eight and ten, with a few twelves. For the record, we quote bolts sizes by the diameter of the shank, not the head. Good correction of my shadetree terminology... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 i think that one is a 14mm head??? one is a 14 and one is a 17, i think the nut is a 17, on the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 one is a 14 and one is a 17, i think the nut is a 17, on the bottom. ah yes, 17mm and its the hard one to crack loose. I hate that one, ripped a nasty gash in the pick n pull busting that one loose, when my hand slipped off wrench and hand went right into the axle metal clamp for the boot. squirt squirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGromada Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share Posted December 31, 2009 (edited) Let me clarify, This is the lower nut that goes on the bolt that is in the block. The starter hangs off this bolt until you tighten up the top bolt. As i recall these might be two different sizes. I thought the bottom one might have used a 17 mm socket I need to check that i still have the deep well socket sitting on the ratchet downstairs. I bought an M10 nut from Advance Autoparts so we will see if i got that right. oh BTW i did find an interest Endwrench article on Starter service here & not to give a plug for another web site but here is a nice writeup on contact replacements with some nice pics Thanks everyone! Happy New Year! I will report back tomorrow. I did pick up some retrieval tools at the Ace Hardware store, a magnetic pick up and one of those claw things for like $5! wish i had it before and i wouldn't have been in this mess. Edited December 31, 2009 by JGromada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log1call Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 The size of the spanner is not really important(other than, if it had a sixteen mill spanner nut on there the nut had been changed to a N.F. one). The thread size is 10 x 1.25. The nut can be a seventeen spanner size, without the flange on the bottom of it, or it can be a fourteen spanner size with the built in flange. The seventeen mill spanner sized nuts are rarer, the fourteen with flange are common as on all japanese cars and are excellent nuts, hard, don't dig into aluminium and don't work loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 (edited) Let me clarify, This is the lower nut that goes on the bolt that is in the block. The starter hangs off this bolt until you tighten up the top bolt. As i recall these might be two different sizes. I thought the bottom one might have used a 16 mm socket ( I know strange size) I need to check that i still have the deep well socket sitting on the ratchet downstairs. oh BTW i did find an interest Endwrench article on Starter service here yes, the bottom one is a nut , it takes a 17mm socket. the top one is a bolt, it takes a 14mm socket. metric bolts and nuts are defined by several measurements diameter of the shaft, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm etc, and the threads, how coarse or fine, 1.00, or 1.25 for example. the threads of the nut are the same as the top bolt, either 1.00 or 1.25. the diameter of the nut MAY be the same as the bolt but it could be one step up or one step down. but the thread 'count' is the same. go to the hardware stoore and find a nut that fits the top bolt, then also get one size, read diameter, larger and one smaller. you probably won't need the smaller one, especially if one of the other 2 takes a 17mm socket. don't forget the washers, one flat and one lock type. three nuts and 6 washers may cost you 5 - 7$ but but should save you the time of making a second trip. oh yeah, about the time you get the new nut tightened up, you will no doubt find the old one. Edited December 31, 2009 by johnceggleston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGromada Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share Posted December 31, 2009 oh yeah, about the time you get the new nut tightened up, you will no doubt find the old one. thanks John that last comment especially made me smile! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGromada Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share Posted December 31, 2009 The size of the spanner is not really important(other than, if it had a sixteen mill spanner nut on there the nut had been changed to a N.F. one). The thread size is 10 x 1.25. The nut can be a seventeen spanner size, without the flange on the bottom of it, or it can be a fourteen spanner size with the built in flange. The seventeen mill spanner sized nuts are rarer, the fourteen with flange are common as on all japanese cars and are excellent nuts, hard, don't dig into aluminium and don't work loose. thanks then this might just work out well as that is exactly what I bought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log1call Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 I wouldn't use a hardware store nut anywhere on a modern car. Get a proper nut from some helpful mechanic or go see the wreckers and they will give you one for sure, they usually have nail boxes full of nuts and bolts they sell for scrap metal prices or not too much more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGromada Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share Posted December 31, 2009 I wouldn't use a hardware store nut anywhere on a modern car. Get a proper nut from some helpful mechanic or go see the wreckers and they will give you one for sure, they usually have nail boxes full of nuts and bolts they sell for scrap metal prices or not too much more. actually these came from the autoparts place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Grade 5 is good enough. I usually buy grade 8 stuff for important things on the car (such as the starter, suspension parts, etc.). Tractor supply sells it by the pound. Something like $2.99 here, and they have nifty tags on the bins that say how many of each bolt/nut are in a pound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 the nut has a 17mm hex and the thread pitch is 10mm x 1.25 if you go to the hdwe store you will find 10x1.25 but the hex will most likely be 14 or 15mm. jut go with what you find that has the correct pitch, regardless of the hex size. feel free to use a washer behind the new nut to make up the difference in diameter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Suggest going to a hardware store, and buying one each of all the nuts that have been suggested. The cost is cheap. In that mix, you should find one that fits. Also, for what it is worth, when replacing that bottom nut, I jam a rag or shop towel under the starter to catch the nut should I drop it. Good luck on getting this project finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 (edited) 20 posts for a 17 mm nut! More helpful than that and this board should be called Mother Theresa's Ultimate board! ;-)))) Happy new year to all of you. Gilles Edited December 31, 2009 by frag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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