Rooster2 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 I just replaced the engine starter on my 98 Legacy OBW. I found it to be a nasty job removing the nut/washer from the lower threaded stud of the starter mount. There was very minimal access space to get a socket on the nut when working on the top side of the motor. Would it have been easier had I have put the car up on ramps to gain access to the nut from the car's underside? If so, I would like to know, in case I ever have to do that job again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msmithmmx Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Wow, I did not think it could be done that way. I have allways done it from underneath the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Yes I just did this job on '96 Legacy and it took a while to get the bottom nut off. I tried from underneath but no good, just not enough room to work. Once I finally realized there was enough room to swing a wrench from up top there with the washer tank out of the way it was easier. I was also replacing the heater hoses, so having those out of the way helped too. Just curious, did you use a reman starter from Subaru? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted October 31, 2007 Author Share Posted October 31, 2007 Yes I just did this job on '96 Legacy and it took a while to get the bottom nut off. I tried from underneath but no good, just not enough room to work. Once I finally realized there was enough room to swing a wrench from up top there with the washer tank out of the way it was easier. I was also replacing the heater hoses, so having those out of the way helped too. Just curious, did you use a reman starter from Subaru? Yes, I used a remanufactured starter from Auto Zone. I know, not the best, but for $79, and a life time guarantee, I can live with it. If it breaks, they will give me another starter at no cost. That is why I asked if there was an easier way to remove the lower mounting nut, if the job has to be done again. On the bottom nut and washer, I used a 17 MM deep socket, and two different size extensions. I got the handle length just right to work the nut. On replacing the nut, I stuffed a plastic bag under the starter to catch the nut and washer should I drop either upon reassembly. Other wise, if I dropped the nut, it would be impossible to find. Thankfully, I didn't drop either, but threading the nut was by finger touch only, because impossible to see where to thread the nut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibumm100 Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 Mine's a 98 Legacy GT and when I replace mine I can get at the bottom nut with a loooong extension. I need to do it again this weekend.....solenoid acting up again. I might get a rebuilt one from Autozone as you did and keep the old one if I can. That way I can have a spare and just swap them out periodically. This will be the second time I've had to clean up the solenoid contacts in the last year and a half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted December 7, 2007 Author Share Posted December 7, 2007 Mine's a 98 Legacy GT and when I replace mine I can get at the bottom nut with a loooong extension. I need to do it again this weekend.....solenoid acting up again. I might get a rebuilt one from Autozone as you did and keep the old one if I can. That way I can have a spare and just swap them out periodically. This will be the second time I've had to clean up the solenoid contacts in the last year and a half. If you buy a rebuilt starter from AZ (Auto Zone) or another parts house, they will want your old starter (parts house will call it a core) as a trade in for furture rebuild, as part of the deal. Otherwise, they will charge you additional money, if you don't trade in your core. Since AZ offers a life time warranty on their rebuilt parts, I have always given them my core. With this approach, I am not screwing around replacing solenoid contacts on my own. With a (new) rebuilt from AZ, I am assuming that I will be getting a starter with new solenoid contacts. AZ Subie starters have always lasted a good long time for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virrdog Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Interesting. On my '93 Legacy I can get the starter out in about 8 minutes (lots of practice). I have to grab a couple of bolts from up top and slide underneath for the one on the underside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 I think you have the 2.2 motor in your 93, where as I have the 2.5 motor phase one in my '98. Maybe that is the difference. I had a '91 2.2 years ago, I remember changing out the starte on that car, it seemed a lot easier, and a lot faster to do with less junk in the way. All I can say, is that it seemed more difficult doing the job on the 2.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svxpert Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 <<On the bottom nut and washer, I used a 17 MM deep socket, and two different size extensions. >> are you sure it wasn't a 14MM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted December 13, 2007 Author Share Posted December 13, 2007 <<On the bottom nut and washer, I used a 17 MM deep socket, and two different size extensions. >> are you sure it wasn't a 14MM? You are right, I did use a 14MM deep socket, not a 17 MM as I first posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avk Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Replacement starter solenoid: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STARTER-SOLENOID-FORD-GEO-KUBOTA-MAZDA-NISSAN-SUBARU_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33576QQihZ024QQitemZ370003448133QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOMAD327 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Above listed solenoid does not look right for late 90's stuff at least, all I see have a nippondenso starter, which has more of a square solenoid. When mine went, the starter would appear dead first thing in the morning, and once in awhile after the first start of the day. If you kept trying the key, it would eventually engage, and spin perfectly and start the motor good once it woke up. If you see this, you just need to replace the two copper contacts in the solenoid. They cost pennies, but are hard to find. Toyota dealers sell the pieces, but the best place seems to be from advance auto website, (online sales only). There are threads here to look for about starter contacts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avk Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Nippondenso/Denso starters are the most common type and they indeed are repaired simply by replacing the contacts which are available from multiple aftermarket sources. But I know the starter on my 1995 is a Mitsubishi. Not sure about the 1998 Legacy in question but I believe it's a Mitsubishi too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RallyKeith Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 and they indeed are repaired simply by replacing the contacts which are available from multiple aftermarket sources. I have to chime in for a moment and say not always true, only because I just did this last night and it did not fix my starter. I got contacts from the dealer, installed them, and cleaned and resurfaced the copper washer on the plunger. My starter still occasionally won't make proper contact and spin. (Yes, the coil is being actuated and the plunger is being pulled in) I will be installing the $79 lifetime warrenty rebuild from Advance Auto. I'm in electronics by trade so this one baffles me a bit, but it didn't work. I've actually had it apart twice now to make sure I did everything correctly and it still acts up. Since this is a car my other half drives, I want something reliable. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avk Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 I meant to compare the fixes between Mitsubishi and Denso, but of course the easy fix doesn't always solve the problem. FWIW, Chrysler FSM says not service the starter (which is Denso) but always replace. But then, it says to replace the steering rack if inner tie rods are bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 I have to chime in for a moment and say not always true, only because I just did this last night and it did not fix my starter. I got contacts from the dealer, installed them, and cleaned and resurfaced the copper washer on the plunger. My starter still occasionally won't make proper contact and spin. (Yes, the coil is being actuated and the plunger is being pulled in) I will be installing the $79 lifetime warrenty rebuild from Advance Auto. I'm in electronics by trade so this one baffles me a bit, but it didn't work. I've actually had it apart twice now to make sure I did everything correctly and it still acts up. Since this is a car my other half drives, I want something reliable. Keith Keith, Have you cleaned the battery connections and checked the main starter wire for internal corrosion to eliminate those possible trouble areas? The starter solenoid will still work if one of those things are a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RallyKeith Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Keith, Have you cleaned the battery connections and checked the main starter wire for internal corrosion to eliminate those possible trouble areas? The starter solenoid will still work if one of those things are a problem. Funny you ask.... Replacement starter behaves the same. All the connections are clean, but the wire looks corroded. It's a 96 and lived the first 10 years of it's life in NH salt. I'm going to swap the power and ground wires with the ones on my 95 and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Since you state that the new starter is acting the same as the old one then it would appear there is a problem with at least one of the main battery cables. As a test, you can try bypassing the suspected bad cable using a jumper cable. The battery also may have an intermittent problem and be the cause of this trouble, but that is remote. Glen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 my 97 OBW had a very similar problem with the starter, i swapped in a 96 starter and a few weeks later the same problem developed. so i installed a relay, plans for which i found here. the small wire going to the starter solenoid from the igniton relay(?) (under the dash/steering cloumn) apparently wasn't delivering enough juice toi get the job done. installing a relay did the trick. the wire from thje ignition relay energizes the new relay which then switches a new power wire from the battery to the starter solenoid. the relay was generic from autozone, some connectors and a fused supply wire. no existing wires are cut, just moved and new wires and relay added. search for the plans (starter relay maybe), it's an easy fix and i have been trouble free for 18 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RallyKeith Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Interesting. I'll be doing some voltage measurements on the wires first to see what's up. If the little wire can't supply enough power I should see a drop in voltage. my 97 OBW had a very similar problem with the starter, i swapped in a 96 starter and a few weeks later the same problem developed. so i installed a relay, plans for which i found here. the small wire going to the starter solenoid from the igniton relay(?) (under the dash/steering cloumn) apparently wasn't delivering enough juice toi get the job done. installing a relay did the trick. the wire from thje ignition relay energizes the new relay which then switches a new power wire from the battery to the starter solenoid. the relay was generic from autozone, some connectors and a fused supply wire. no existing wires are cut, just moved and new wires and relay added. search for the plans (starter relay maybe), it's an easy fix and i have been trouble free for 18 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Here is what John eludes to, to see if this will help run a jumper wire from the battery + to the small spade connector on the starter. If it cranks this will fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 the small wire going to the starter solenoid from the igniton relay(?) (under the dash/steering cloumn) apparently wasn't delivering enough juice toi get the job done. That is another possibilty and by checking to make sure that 12 volts is getting to the solenoid wire while the trouble is occurring would eliminate that as a possible cause. Your solution to the trouble does work but rather than adding a modification I would have looked for the bad connection in the ignition circuit that is the real cause of the trouble. It is still there and may get worse as time goes on but since it has been some time since you did this it may not be a problem. I just don't like to modify things like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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