Solenoid went bad on my starter, and I cannot for the life of me get the new one in. I have headers on a 91 V6, and the only way I can figure to get the room I need is to drop the diff. Somehow I got the old one out, had to rotate it 180* and it came out gear side first beside the diff to the front, but I can't seem to get the new one in. Seems like if I got one out I should be able to get one to go back the way the first one came out, but this is WAY more difficult than it should be. Any one have any tricks, or am I just going to have to suck it up and drop the diff further?

 

a friend of mine had the same issue. 90 pickup with V6 and headers. wound up drilling a small hole in passenger floorboard to put a socket/extension thru. then bought a rubber grommet/plug to seal it up.

 

NWOR Headers??? oh ˟˟˟˟, mee too.

I had to lift the motor and remove the AC & motor mount on that side.

Nothing wrong with my starter, but while the motor is out I'm having it recon'd just due the fooker it is to change.
Don't wanna do that shoit again.

 

Downey headers that went on with a Jasper engine 3 years ago. The starter was rebuilt then, too. I think the extra heat was the killer. I'm not upset about the starter giving out, I just can't get it back in.

 

Sounds like a good reason to put a body lift in. I have a 2" BL and was thinking when I had my starter out a few months ago that it would be impossible to do without the BL.. Good luck with that sucker!

 

dude, today is your lucky day. I remembered that i had taken a pic of the hole he drilled (in 1997 or 98). got home from work now and looked in my archives and found it. IM me your email addy and I will email it to you.

 

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f128/starter-replacement-2nd-gen-4runner-76358/

 

What he said. Had it not been for that article, I would never have figured out the 24" extension from the front of the truck. Follow his instructions and you'll be done in no time.

 

Like I said earlier, I got the old one out, so I figured out the long extension, ( big fan of universal joints and wobble extensions), I just can't seem to get the new one back in there. I have all day Sunday to get it and the access panel may help, so thanks for the article. Fortunately here in NC beer sales are legal on Sunday ( I may need it)

 

I know theres not much room to get to the header bolts, but couldn't you back them off the studs to make a little more room or too much work? I also have headers and was thinking of doing it this way when my starter goes.

 

I have downey headers and found a trick to get it out in like 15-30 min....

1. Disconnect the battery cable from battery...
2. you need to take out the side plate as in above (in fenderwell)
3. Remove The brace that bolts from the bell housing to the block (sorry no pics it should be 4 bolts 2 in block and 2 in bellhousing)
4. once you get that out you can you can take the bolts off starter and disconnect the clip and the wire....
5. Once starter is disconnected you shoud be able to barely fit it between the diff and the frame out the front of the runner...you may have to twist it around a little but when you look at it you should see how it comes out....

Then follow in reverse order....
hope this helps it took me 3.5 hours to figure this one out and 15 min to get it back in....

 

Take the motor mount bolt off the left side {17mm from the top} and lift up the motor with a jack or forklift if possible about 1/2 in to an inch and the starter will slide right in w/out any cutting.