replacing starter 101

yikes · 04-24-2005, 05:27 PM

To replace the starter on a mk1:

Disconnect the ground cable from the battery. Jack the car and use stands. Under the car use a 14mm socket a short extension and 3/8 ratchet to loosen the 2 bolts holding the starter to the tranny. Pull starter, spin starter. Take off nut and remove positive cable. Use small screwdriver, insert in small recess in plastic connector which will unlock connector and pull, separating connectors. Spin starter to take off heat shield using 10 mm socket. Remove shield. Using 10 mm socket remove the bolt holding the under car plastic shield so that the shield will flex. Flip starter so that the larger end is down. Wiggle starter through and out.\
Clean mounting area for starter so that it will make good contact. Check the ends of the wires to make sure they are not corroded. Reverse to install making sure the wires are not stressed. Reconnect battery ground.

Mister2.2 · 04-24-2005, 06:34 PM

Thanks yikes.

MR.twooooo · 03-18-2006, 02:35 PM

does it involve taking off the header?

SilverMR2 · 04-17-2006, 10:18 PM

Wow wish i had read this last weekend that Bast**d does not want to come out with that heat shield on it

toyotaspeed90 · 09-26-2006, 04:05 AM

or you could just go buy a starter for an ae92 GTS (88-91 corolla GTS). Once you get the old one out, the new (corolla) starter is about 3/4" shorter in overall length.... the stock heatshield still fits..... makes for a much easier re-install

also found that if you take the lower exhaust manifold bracket off it's much easier....

BReilley · 01-21-2007, 02:55 AM

As I've been preparing to remove my engine, I've been getting the smaller components out of the way first. One of the(perenially) most difficult things is the starter, because of its location under the exhaust manifold. I got so fed up trying to rotate, slide, and eventually curse the thing out of its place that I decided to remove the front engine mount, which had to come out anyway.

The starter might as well have fallen out after that.

In the future, I shall be removing said mount when it's time to replace the starter

By the way, some years ago I was having intermittent starting troubles. I found that the solenoid connection(small positive wire from the battery) was slipping out of contact, so I crimped a regular male spade terminal onto the wire, and it worked perfectly until the car... stopped. Your mileage may vary obviously, mass-produced parts being what they are, but this solution worked just fine for me.

.02 poorer
- Ben

toyotaspeed90 · 03-12-2007, 03:57 AM

^^^ as for removing the motor..... if it's coming out, there's no need to pull it apart.... disconnect the wiring from the ecu & molex connector, the oil cooler lines, the radiator/heater core lines, and drop the entire motor/transmission with everything on it as a whole unit..... can be done in about 2 hours or so (depending on tools, skill, and how difficult the car is being) by one person.... everything is much easier to work on out of the car.

teachjava2 · 10-28-2010, 01:32 PM

All,

I am new to this forum so please be nice if this is a newbie question. :-)

My MR2 is acting up. The starter will not turn off after the motor is running. I can use the key to turn off the engine but the starter still turns over. I had to grab a crescent wrench to unhook the battery to get it to stop. I reattached the battery cable and the starter was fine and did not reengage.

I replaced the starter relay and it still acts the same. Now I am removing the starter to look at the solenoid as my next suspect. Is this correct?

Question: I found one bolt on the starter near the bottom that I could see but I can't find the second bolt? Where is it and how do I get to it?

Regards,

Mike

dirocyn · 10-28-2010, 01:52 PM

If it still does that after replacing the relay, you have either a shorted solenoid wire (shorted to hot) or solenoid sticking shut. The solenoid is inside the starter case.

Both bolts for the starter are located on the transmission ear, directly across from the starter.

You could also test by running a jumper wire in place of the small wire that goes to the starter. A standard spade plug (female) will fit on there, though it won't lock in place. Run the other end of that wire up to your battery and test away. Just make sure you're not in gear.

romierome · 10-28-2010, 07:55 PM

Good write up, as for removing the starter I took the heat shield of and wrapped my header, opens up a lot of room.

Pofje · 10-30-2010, 01:00 PM

Think we could get this to be a pin up?

04-24-2005, 05:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
yikes Cage Fighter Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Gnaw Bone, Indiana Posts: 230 Thanks: 2 Thanked 12 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	replacing starter 101 To replace the starter on a mk1: Disconnect the ground cable from the battery. Jack the car and use stands. Under the car use a 14mm socket a short extension and 3/8 ratchet to loosen the 2 bolts holding the starter to the tranny. Pull starter, spin starter. Take off nut and remove positive cable. Use small screwdriver, insert in small recess in plastic connector which will unlock connector and pull, separating connectors. Spin starter to take off heat shield using 10 mm socket. Remove shield. Using 10 mm socket remove the bolt holding the under car plastic shield so that the shield will flex. Flip starter so that the larger end is down. Wiggle starter through and out.\ Clean mounting area for starter so that it will make good contact. Check the ends of the wires to make sure they are not corroded. Reverse to install making sure the wires are not stressed. Reconnect battery ground.

10-28-2010, 01:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
teachjava2 No Skills Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Gig Harbor, WA Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Starter Stays On Forever All, I am new to this forum so please be nice if this is a newbie question. :-) My MR2 is acting up. The starter will not turn off after the motor is running. I can use the key to turn off the engine but the starter still turns over. I had to grab a crescent wrench to unhook the battery to get it to stop. I reattached the battery cable and the starter was fine and did not reengage. I replaced the starter relay and it still acts the same. Now I am removing the starter to look at the solenoid as my next suspect. Is this correct? Question: I found one bolt on the starter near the bottom that I could see but I can't find the second bolt? Where is it and how do I get to it? Regards, Mike

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Posted By	For	Type	Date
MR2 Technical Knowledgebase - Mk I Replacing Starter 101	This thread	Refback	07-14-2008 09:24 PM
MR2 Technical Knowledgebase	This thread	Refback	06-04-2008 11:38 PM

04-24-2005, 06:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mister2.2 Cheese it! Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,561 Thanks: 121 Thanked 115 Times in 99 Posts Blog Entries: 1 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Thanks yikes.

03-18-2006, 02:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
MR.twooooo Some Skills Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 55 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	does it involve taking off the header?

04-17-2006, 10:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
SilverMR2 Cage Fighter Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 137 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Wow wish i had read this last weekend that Bast**d does not want to come out with that heat shield on it

09-26-2006, 04:05 AM	#5 (permalink)
toyotaspeed90 No Skills Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 2,401 Thanks: 0 Thanked 148 Times in 143 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	or you could just go buy a starter for an ae92 GTS (88-91 corolla GTS). Once you get the old one out, the new (corolla) starter is about 3/4" shorter in overall length.... the stock heatshield still fits..... makes for a much easier re-install also found that if you take the lower exhaust manifold bracket off it's much easier....

01-21-2007, 02:55 AM	#6 (permalink)
BReilley No Skills Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	As I've been preparing to remove my engine, I've been getting the smaller components out of the way first. One of the(perenially) most difficult things is the starter, because of its location under the exhaust manifold. I got so fed up trying to rotate, slide, and eventually curse the thing out of its place that I decided to remove the front engine mount, which had to come out anyway. The starter might as well have fallen out after that. In the future, I shall be removing said mount when it's time to replace the starter By the way, some years ago I was having intermittent starting troubles. I found that the solenoid connection(small positive wire from the battery) was slipping out of contact, so I crimped a regular male spade terminal onto the wire, and it worked perfectly until the car... stopped. Your mileage may vary obviously, mass-produced parts being what they are, but this solution worked just fine for me. .02 poorer - Ben

03-12-2007, 03:57 AM	#7 (permalink)
toyotaspeed90 No Skills Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 2,401 Thanks: 0 Thanked 148 Times in 143 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	^^^ as for removing the motor..... if it's coming out, there's no need to pull it apart.... disconnect the wiring from the ecu & molex connector, the oil cooler lines, the radiator/heater core lines, and drop the entire motor/transmission with everything on it as a whole unit..... can be done in about 2 hours or so (depending on tools, skill, and how difficult the car is being) by one person.... everything is much easier to work on out of the car.

10-28-2010, 01:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
dirocyn Cage Fighter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Murfreesboro, TN Posts: 1,177 Thanks: 14 Thanked 110 Times in 108 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	If it still does that after replacing the relay, you have either a shorted solenoid wire (shorted to hot) or solenoid sticking shut. The solenoid is inside the starter case. Both bolts for the starter are located on the transmission ear, directly across from the starter. You could also test by running a jumper wire in place of the small wire that goes to the starter. A standard spade plug (female) will fit on there, though it won't lock in place. Run the other end of that wire up to your battery and test away. Just make sure you're not in gear.

10-28-2010, 07:55 PM	#10 (permalink)
romierome mentally missing Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: terre haute IN Posts: 114 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Good write up, as for removing the starter I took the heat shield of and wrapped my header, opens up a lot of room.

10-30-2010, 01:00 PM	#11 (permalink)
Pofje Cage Fighter Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 153 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Think we could get this to be a pin up?