extremely newbie question

[Guest Anonymous]

Have patience young Jedi.

The starter does come out between the intake and the firewall... The intake manifold stays in place.... The throttle linkage and the washer bottle are in your way.

The starter twists around and comes up trans end first.

I've done many many many many...... of them.

Tommy, since this is a '75 you are dealing with this thread about the smog equipment in those cars should be bedtime reading for you....

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,57/page,viewtopic/t,303603/start,0/postdays,0/postorder,asc/highlight,smog/

I bet very few of y'all have done starters on 80-83 E21 320i's what a PITA those are!!!!! Book time 3.5 hrs. Tii book time 1.2....... It's still just a simple little old M10 right???? Not with the CIS injection assembly in the way!!!

HTH

Ok i've got the starter loose, i can't get it past the throttle linkage BRACKET. there is a bracket thats holding the throttle linkage tight, it keeps hitting the starter as im trying to wiggle it out.

Do I have to remove the bracket?

[TobyB]

Looks like the only way I can wiggle it out or even get to it would be to remove the...

why would you want to wiggle it out????

Once it's in, umm... oh, shit, never mind...

Take the bracket off the non- business end.

Pull the manifold hose out of the way.

Yank it out of there! The manifold can stay.

On reassembly, getting the NUT onto the lower bolt is a bitch.

Tape it onto the closed end of a wrench, and then assemble by feel.

It might be easier from underneath... as it were... ahem...

And an E30M3 starter makes reassembly a lot... sexier...

t

[HarryPR]

I agree with Toby. You might want to get an E30 M3 starter to replace your old one you have now. one. Stronger cranking, less weight, a LOT easier to install and remove, and it probably won't cost much more than the boat anchor you're taking out, if you shop around.

A great upgrade, IMHO.

[Guest Anonymous]

i'm on a budget so i opted for a remanned autolite starter with a lifetime warranty.

The new starter is in. I found the root of the old starter's problem. There was one prong missing from the solenoid(?) and there was a loose cable that wasn't connected.

Now putting everything back together....

thanks for all the input

[BarryA]

I bet very few of y'all have done starters on 80-83 E21 320i's what a PITA those are!!!!! Book time 3.5 hrs. Tii book time 1.2....... It's still just a simple little old M10 right???? Not with the CIS injection assembly in the way!!!

HTH

swapping in an M30 starter, which turned out to be just enough longer (no more than 10 mm overall) that it was impossible to snake it into place without moving the fuel distributor. One of the biggest PITA jobs EVER - if the E21 ever needs another starter, it's getting an M3 unit.