how easy is it to change a starter motor (mk2 gti 8v)

[Bigdunc]

Hi guys my starter motor needs changing the positive terminal bolt snapped on the solonoide so i cant get no power to it, looking at the bolts are the attatched to the engine mounts? if so whats best way of changing starter motor is it advisable to jack engine up?

Any advice be good guys

[raferackstraw]

use jack to take weight of engine but dont jack it up, also unbolt metal water pipe from engine [but dont disconnect hoses] or you may break it. look carefully where the water pipe is attached and make sure it is loose b4 doing starter.
the starter does bolt thru mount so use jack to support engine n box

[Bigdunc]

thanks for reply mate ill look at unbolting the water pipe here some pics if u could confirm if its correct bolts.

water pipe bolts



Starter motor with bolt snapped off:

[raferackstraw]

yep they are the 10mm bolts for water pipe not sure if there is a 3rd one tho

[Bigdunc]

ok mate nice one for the help, im guessing its safer to take them out as the engine may drop and crack pipe. just hope its not to much of a pain to do as i have to repair the wires aswell as they were bolted together and the bolts were nackered so need to recrimp ends, and hope old starter pops out ok

[Ben Lessani]

You don't need to remove the metal water pipe.

Jack up the car (or get it on ramps), support the engine by the gear box, then remove the 2/3 support bolts from the bell housing/starter motor, pull the starter out, then remove the old bell housing bush - fit a new one, and re-fit the starter.

Generally, it only takes about 1.5 hrs if everything goes okay, but in the past, I have managed to round off the allen head bolt - and resort to using a stake and hammer tap it round.

Usually the fiddly it is lining up the bolts again as the engine tends to sag down ever so slightly from the position it was in before you withdrew the starter.

[rubjonny]

way i do it is to remove the top bolt from the front engine mount. then jack the engine up till it just lifts off the front mount. that way you know there is no tension on the front mount bracket. swap the starter motor, then lower it down again refit top bolt. No messing about trying to get bolt holes to line up, simples.

no need to jack up the car really because you can do it all from above, but it can be done either way just depends which way you prefer to do it

[raferackstraw]

well i say undo the waterpipe bolts so the pipe is loose, i did it bens way and didnt support engine enough and pipe cracked. the pipe was rusted from inside out. try getting one of them pipes in ireland. you dont remove pipe completely just as long as there is a bit of give in it.

[Bigdunc]

all done now, was a pain for me as i not really had much experience doing cars, getting bolts back in was a pain but all working fine now