6 replies to this topic

[Kyle Anderson]

The starter on my wifes car recently died. I was able to do the hammer trick this summer and get it going, but it has finally bit the dust after a few more months. It's a 1998, 2.0L automatic.

I've read a how-to on replacing it which says to undo the wiring from underneath the car. It's cold, snowy, and the car is parked outside an hour away, so I'm trying to avoid this. Can it be replaced from the top side of the engine bay? At the very least, can everything be disconnected from the top and drop the starter on the ground and bring the new one up from the bottom? I wouldn't have to raise the car this way. I'll have to remove a number of things to gain access from the top, but it would beat jacking up a car in the snow and crawling under... it just doesn't seem safe to me.

Any guidance on this one?

Thanks, Kyle

Edited by Kyle Anderson, 28 January 2012 - 09:15 PM.

[kevindh]

Most likely it will be easier to jack the car than go from the top.

Most Ford starters are really easy to do from under the car.

When you go to replace the starter, bring a pair of axel stands and something to put on the groung to lay on when you crawl under the car.

The job should take less than an hour, even on the side of the road.

[joker813]

u can take it out the top its going to take a little magice but it an be done u have to take air box out to give u a little mor room to play with

[Aussie Ford]

Not much choice you need to raise the car to ge to the bottom bolts. Put it on jack stands, and be safe first.

2.0L Engine
Removal
1. Disconnect battery ground cable.
2. Remove engine air intake resonator (9F763) as outlined in «Section 03-12».
3. Remove upper starter motor retaining bolt.
4. Raise vehicle on hoist. Refer to «Section 00-02».
5. Remove B-terminal and S-terminal retaining nuts from starter solenoid.
6. Remove two lower starter motor retaining bolts and remove starter motor from vehicle.
Installation
1. NOTE: When installing lower starter motor retaining bolts, be sure to install ground cable.
Position starter motor to transaxle and install lower retaining bolts. Tighten bolts to 20-27 N-m (15-20 lb-ft).
2. Install positive battery cable and starter solenoid feed wire onto starter solenoid.
3. Install positive battery cable (B-Terminal) and solenoid feed wire (S-Terminal) retaining nuts. Tighten B-terminal retaining nut to 9-14 N-m (80-124 lb-in). Tighten S-terminal retaining nut to 5-7 N-m (44-62 lb-in).
4. Lower vehicle to floor.
5. Install upper starter motor retaining bolt. Tighten to 20-27 N-m (15-20 lb-ft).
6. Install engine air intake resonator as outlined in «Section 03-12».
7. Connect battery ground cable.


AF

[Kyle Anderson]

Wow... what a pain in the ass. It took 4 hours. Here's what I did, in case someone else searches for this later...

1998, 2.0, automatic

First disconnect and completely remove the battery (this is important later). Remove the upper part of the intake and the intake hose going to the air box. Remove all three 13mm mounting bolts from above. It's 100% impossible to remove any from below; I don't have a clue where that came from because I also read it elsewhere. The only way to remove them is from above, and it's quite easy. Be sure to note the ground wire that was attached to one of the mounting bolts. I struggled for a very long time trying to disconnect the wires from the starter. By this time the car was jacked up and I even tried from underneath. I'm sure it's possible, but don't waste your time. I got smart and decided to remove the starter with the wiring attached to the starter. This was much easier. One positive cable goes to a fusible link at the back of the intake manifold. Follow it back there, remove the plastic cover, take off the 13mm nut and remove the wire. There are now two more positive wires going to the positive terminal of the battery. One is thin and the other is the thick cable that clamps to the top post of the battery. Cut zip ties and loosen wiring from any clamps. There's a plate attached to the positive clamp where several other wires are connected. Take off the 10mm nut on the clamp and remove this plate. The thick positive and negative cables are probably molded together as they were on my car and you'll have to peel them apart. The thick cable should now be free. The thin wire simply unplugs on the plate that was attached to the positive clamp. All of the wiring should be free now and you can start to work the starter out. It must go out the bottom. There is no other way. It's harder than hell to get out, even more so with the wiring still attached, but it'll work out eventually. Be patient. It took me an hour just to work the old one out and get the new up back up in position. With the old one out, transfer the wiring over. To install the new one, start by pulling the long positive cables up through first. This will help so they don't get in the way so much. Once it's up, bolt it in making sure the ground wire is connect to one of the mounting bolts. Snake the long positive wires through and get them in position. Get back under the car and reach up to get the short positive cable through the intake manifold to where it connects to the fusible link. Reconnect it from up top and replace the plastic cover. Reconnect the battery.

If you have access to a lift, I suggest you use it. It'll make your life so much easier, and you can probably remove the wiring at the starter from underneath. Working on my back I couldn't get a good position to get a wrench up there, and I was working with only one hand. Removing the starter wiring from up top is basically impossible. You would have to remove the alternator to get a clear shot at it.

[SERIALSTUNTER]

Sweet lord! I'm a licenced mechanic with 12 years experience. Bought a 97 2.0L Contour for $300....great shape needs a starter. I'm working on this 40 miles from my shop in a paved compound to save on a tow bill. I worked for 2 hours and couldn't get that rat-bas**d out!. Thanks for the write-up, I'll try your method next go-around and see if I have any success. I thought the gen 2 volkswagen automatics were a nightmare, this abortion has them beat ten-fold. 1000 cubic meters of free space a 4 cylinder engine bay and the engineers design a starter like this????? Good lord! wish me luck "/

[Donnie Ballowe]

no doubt. I've rebuilt and removed all kinds of starters and alternators. This starter in my contour se 2.0 l is a pain in the . . .