Volvo 240 Starter removal replacement

Having fruitlessly searched for tips on getting the starter off my car, I just went at it and found a way. The 240 starter (in my case a 1990, but will apply to many other years as well) is held on by two bolts, the upper most of which is a real bear to get at. Here's how i did it and i hope this helps someone who doesn't feel equipped to lower the transmission. Tools. Trouble lamp, 13mm socket, 18mm socket, 12 inch extension, breaker bar with swivling type head, regular socket wrench, block of wwod (2X4 ok), prybar.

1.Disconnect both battery terminals (10mm) 2.Disconnect the positive leads to the starter (13mm) pos terminal. 3.Wiggle off the single wire with bayonet connector. 4.Block wheels, set parking brake, block wheels, raise car and secure with at least 1 heavy jack stand. 5.Under the car, use the prybar to force the transmission as far to the passenger side as possible, it'll move about an inch or two.Pry towards the rear of the tranny where it meets the driveshaft and pry against the channel wall of the hole the tranny sits in. Being on rubber mounts, it'll move more than you think, be careful not to pinch anything. Keeping the pressure on the prybar, wedge a chunc of 2X4 between the trany and the housing wall, do this as far to the rear as possible ( I wedged mine where the driveshaft meets the trranny.) This will give you just barely enough (but enough) room to get that top bolt out. 6.18mm socket on 12 inch extension on breakerbar with swivle head.Get the socket on tyhe upper bolt, press the extension and breaker bar head as far up in the channel as you can and go at it..it will break loose after which the regular socket wrech can be used to back it out (a click or three at a time I'm afraid) 7.Remove the lower bolt (also 18mm)
  1. Mine was stuck in the flywheel housing prettu good and required a couple of whacks with a rubber mallet (from the top) using a two or three foot chunk of lumber to deliver the blows (theres NO room to swing a hammer in the vicinity of the starter.
  2. The starter will drop out of the bottom, don't try and pull it upwards through the top past all those tubes and wires.

Replace...

  1. Get under the car and put the starter up through the bottom.
  2. Push the upper bolt back through it's hole
  3. From the top of the car, align the starter in it's place, and if you twist your arm the right way, you can reach behind to the upper bolt (from over the engine) and start the upper bolt by hand. It must be perfectly alinged. Once you've got it in as faras your greasy finger will allow, get under the car and start in the bottom bolt. It too myust be perfectly in line, so rotating the starter slightly clockwise or counter clock wise may be required.
  4. The rest is the reverse of the removal, try to get the top bolt snugged down as much as you can, then reef the bottom one.

Have fun!

Reply to
masterohnone
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I've had luck using a bunch of extensions and u-joints stuck together without doing any prying of the transmission. Manual gearbox cars have significantly more room to work than the slushboxes but both are possible though not easy.

Reply to
James Sweet

Hmmm, I have never pried on the transmission in order to remove a 240 starter, but I've only done that job twice. If using this pry method you must be careful not to destroy the transmission mount or either of the motor mounts.

The upper bolt is hard to get to, but with a 1/2" socket set and some long extensions plus one universal joint it is certainly doable. Not fun, but doable.

John

Reply to
John Horner

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