Not sure that I have found anything more more of a pain than trying to remove a starter motor from a 352 FE with the exhaust still on and the motor still in the truck. Sadly a freeze plug was letting go and of course it was behind the starter. Patience paid off, but not quite what they planned when designing the 3 bolt starter..... Sent from my LM-V405 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Ya know, maybe 20 years ago I changed a GM starter in my OT car. V8 starter, big heavy beast of a thing. Maybe 2-3 years ago (after my I gave the car to my kid) her starter was going out. No issue...I wrested that MF for 35 minutes after unbolted and ready to pull. I took the new one and spent an hour on my back and finally gave up. Ordered a mini-starter through Summit-10 minute install. I feel ya bro!
I've said this pertaining to the Y Block. Never taken a starter out of an FE, so I don't know if they're the same, with that 3rd bolt in a seemingly impossible place between the starter motor and the block. I've found fir the Y Block, the best way to approach the problem is to go 1/4 drive, and use like 7 extensions, and snake the extensions through to the bolt, and the ratchet out by the bumper. Still sucks tho
Did you have to pull the intake or support the engine so you can remove the engine mount and lift the engine? If not how bad was it realy?
I had a ‘60 T Bird and a ‘53 F100 both FE powered. I loosened up the head pipe and used a combination of extensions and a swivel socket to get the hidden bolts out. They came out ok. Same process going back in. I believe that in most cases you can swap out the starters with the long bass-ackwards bendix drive for a conventional version. I always drop the headpipes, clean up the threads and give them a generous coating of anti-seize so I only have to fight them once. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
So part of what made this such a pain was the fact that the 3rd bolt close to the block was not actually installed properly by the previous owner. So essentially the starter was only held in by 2 bolts. I had to hand crescent out the bolt at first with my arm through the center of the exhaust to hold the starter from just crashing to the ground. BUT since the starter wasn't installed properly the alignment was jogged toward the block slightly (the starter was actually holding the plug in the block) so I couldn't have done the extensions on removal anyhow. What I found when I got the motor back attached was that I was able to use the extension under the exhaust manifold, above the starter and next to the block. There was enough clearance to use the ratchet. I had to then attach the ratchet from below to actually tighten down, but now it's actually in like it should have been in the first place. I didn't have to mess with mounts or lifting thankfully. It's just one of those things that if you are limited with resources like engine cranes or lifts, that motor isn't the most accessible. PITA Sent from my LM-V405 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Not sure about your set up.....but I have FE's in all 3 of my Ford trucks and it's not an issue changing them out. My GM small block are just not lasting for crap so I change them often which just makes me cuss !
The trick to the FE starter is remove the top bolt first and install it last. Do it backwards and you'll fight it all the way out and back in. Now, I did have a buddy helping me change a clutch once and he forgot lefty-losie/righty-tighty and rounded that one off. Took me two hours of blue air and skinned knuckles to get that bolt out...
I think this was part of the problem. Since the previous owner never actually tightened the top bolt, it took me a while to see it. Honestly I'm not sure how it hadn't fallen out. That is a disappointing time to forget that little nugget. Sent from my LM-V405 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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