Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) starter

[MAyotte]

I have a 98 1/2 dodge 3/4 ton 24 valve. How hard is it to change the starter? Do I need any special tools? How hard is it to change the contacts in the starter? Has anybody tried the exhaust system from Gino's Garage? The four inch system ANSA from Gino's Garage. Do I need any special tools to change the exhaust? Will the bolts come out hard out of the front pipe? Thank you very much.

 

[Joe Mc]

Starter isn't bad - pretty straight forward, regular hand tools are all you'll need, sockets, extensions, etc. As far as the contacts, if you get LarryB's there's instructions - once again pretty straight forward. All in all it's about a 2 - 3 beer job . . . depending on how much work versus beer is involved:-laf



Exhaust - I went with a 4" Magnaflow SS, most larger systems are better than stock and should last the rest of the life of the truck. Start out by soaking the down pipe (you called "front pipe") nuts at the turbo with penetraiting oil then get the Sawzall fired up and cut the old system off (you will never need it again why kill yourself trying to loosen rusted nuts) working your way from the back to the front, by the time you get to the down pipe nuts they should be ready to go, give them another squirt anyway - penetraiting oil is cheap. Use a stacked group of extensions and go from underneath to the nuts. It was pretty easy for me as I had an electric impact if you don't have one borrow (or buy one, if you plan on doing alot of your own work) it just makes things go faster, even if it dosen't have enough balls to break things loose once you get it to move by hand it helps speed things up. Anyway if they are real tight and don't want to budge don't try to herc them off, give them a sharp blast lefty then righty - keep this up till it budges then give another squirt and go for it. They can be a bugger, just be patient and work at it, if a "little" heat is needed you should be fine with a hand held propane tank from the local home center. A trick if you find you need heat and don't have a little tank - once you get most of the pipes off - start er up and let it idle for a few minutes then shoot more pen oil on the nuts - heat will help the pen oil suck into the threads - remember, be patient, last thing you want to do is break a stud off in the turbo - then it's reomove the turbo and try to extract it time#@$%!. You'll be fine. I did mine in the driveway with regular tools (including the electric impact and Sawzall) in an afternoon.



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[DBraunig]

You will need a 12 pt 10mm box end wrench to get the top bolt out of the starter. The instructions will walk you through the contacts.



Joe has the exhaust covered



Dave

 

[Bob Cochran]

That top bolt is the bear to get. If you luck out like I did on my 01 I had an extension that was just the right length to get on it and use a ratchet, otherwise the box wrench. Larry B's contacts piece of cake. Don't know about exhaust still on my list to do.