Change starter/remove exhaust

[michele3829]

Hi All, My husband just bought a vx and it needs a new starter. I downloaded a manual online and started the process of pulling the starter and one of the steps is to pull out the front exhaust pipe to get it out of the way to remove the old starter. I am getting VERY frustrated trying to get the exhaust pipe pulled out. Is there a trick to is or to I need to just muscle is more. I don't want to be too rough and have to replace something else too....lol!! Wanna get it running and on the road for him quick. Thanks a million all!!!

[LittleBeast]

Yeah I have done pretty much everything myself on the VX, I have swapped out differentials a couple of times, rebuilt the CV's pulled the rear axles, all kinds of stuff, but when it came to the starter I just had my local trusted shop do it for me. I bought all of the exhaust gaskets and had them ready, but they did not have to mess with the exhaust.

[samneil2000]

Amazing, no one commented on the fact that you are doing this for your husband. I will. That's impressive and he's a lucky guy. My wife wouldn't know how to find the starter, much less attempt to replace it.
Good on ya and good luck!

[tom4bren]

Amazing, no one commented on the fact that you are doing this for your husband. I will. That's impressive and he's a lucky guy. My wife wouldn't know how to find the starter, much less attempt to replace it.
Good on ya and good luck!

My response had a really good joke at PK's expense but I deleted it due to the family nature of this forum.

[michele3829]

Thx for the comments. I am by no means a solid mechanic but helped dad enough in the garage growing up to do the basics. Am a little nervous now that I have it tore apart. Just had to get the exhaust out of the way to pull out the disconnected starter..... that is what the shop manual showed... sounds so simple. Will be rolling up the sleeves again after work tonite to try & get it done...

[PK]

My response had a really good joke at PK's expense but I deleted it due to the family nature of this forum.

Hey, quit picking on me!!!!:mad::mad::p
As if I would ever say anything that wasn't family friendly.:bwgy::smilewink

Jeeese youse guys are hard to control.:yesgray::yesy::yeso:

PK

PS - you know that you are going to have to PM me the joke now - don't you.

[tom4bren]

PK,

:flower: Yer my fav OZ (the fact that you are the only one I know has absolutely nothing to do with your rating though).

I'm not nearly as funny as I think I am so the joke never really panned out ... something to do with your siggy (can't even get in your own pants). I'll let y'all take it from there.

Sorry for the threadjack Michele - back on topic now.

[michele3829]

Don't mess with the exhaust. It's very easy to break bolts and manifolds and pipes on an old exhaust system.

http://forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=55846 (http://forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=55846)

And BTW, I didn't appreciate the Bills beating the Eagles last week. :o

Mark

GO BILLS!!! LOL!!

[michele3829]

$70 for a new starter. $15 for new catalytic converter gaskets (old ones were crumbly and nasty). Several hours under the truck.... the new starter is in and the truck starts like new!!! The "trick" I was looking for to remove the exhaust was to also remove the two front bolts on the muffler after the catalytic converter was disconnected. I was able to push the muffler back just enough to give me room to move the catalytic converter back so I could pull the front out of the way... giving access to the starter. :)

[michele3829]

Amazing, no one commented on the fact that you are doing this for your husband. I will. That's impressive and he's a lucky guy. My wife wouldn't know how to find the starter, much less attempt to replace it.
Good on ya and good luck!

Oh... and my husband says that it is because I am "well trained." He says he offers lessons! (Whew... I still have him fooled!!!) LMAO!!!

[Cobrajet]

$70 for a new starter. $15 for new catalytic converter gaskets (old ones were crumbly and nasty). Several hours under the truck.... the new starter is in and the truck starts like new!!! The "trick" I was looking for to remove the exhaust was to also remove the two front bolts on the muffler after the catalytic converter was disconnected. I was able to push the muffler back just enough to give me room to move the catalytic converter back so I could pull the front out of the way... giving access to the starter. :)
Excellent!! Always good to know that common repairs can still be done in the home garage. Fortunately, aside from shock replacement and PV catback, I have not had to perform any maintenance on my VX in 130,000 miles. (knock on real wood!)