Starter Removal

[Ronald Sharp]

Help, I just spent the last 2 hours trying to remove the starter from my 1962 356B. What is the size and what type of socket or wrench can get to the upper bolt?
Thanks
Ron Sharp

[David Jones]

Ron, there is nothing to stop the bolt from rotating when you start to remove the nut. Both are 17mm ATF by the way. There is a special wrench that can be used but by far the best way is to prevent the bolt from rotating.
Here is the tool. https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/ ... L-TOL-P222
You can also place a small hose clamp on the head of the bolt and that will stop it rotating but first you have to remove it and that may require an assist from someone with long skinny arms to reach over the trans to hold the head of the bolt.
Here is the registry article on removal of starter motor.
https://porsche356registry.org/article/194

[Doug McDonnell]

Make it easier next time: https://porsche356registry.org/classifieds/1250 When I was younger I could reach over the transmission, and later in life I had the magnetic wrench. Now I just make sure every 356 I own has helper bolts. Also when loose be aware that that bolt cannot be totally removed or installed except when the starter is partially removed and tilted. Just not enough room. Be sure to replace the starter bushing which is a frequent cause of slow starting.

[Dan Epperly]

You can loosen the other upper bolt and the lower nuts and then push down on the engine pinching the starter bolt so you can turn the nut without turning the bolt.
Like others said, do something to insure it doesn't turn when you go to install. I weld a big nail to the head of my upper bolts. You can use the nail to position it as well as keep it from rotating.

[Martin Bruechle]

You can also try needle nose vice grips if you have a pair, pre adjust them on a spare nut or bolt first.
Also a 17mm crows foot socket and ratchet if you have a helper person to hold it.
Disconnect the battery first too to avoid arcing.

[John Brooks]

Stahlwille knows how

[Jon Schmid]

About 6 years ago I posted a comment regarding the above mentioned tool not working. Turns out a PO had welded a nut to the bolt head to keep it from spinning. Whatever, maybe not the most elegant solution but I will say it worked.

[Dave Wildrick]

Help, I just spent the last 2 hours trying to remove the starter from my 1962 356B. What is the size and what type of socket or wrench can get to the upper bolt?
Thanks
Ron Sharp

On my C coupes, I have had success with clamping a vise grip on the upper 17mm nut, and then getting under the car, facing rearward, with a 6 inch and 3 inch 3/8” socket wrench extension coupled together, with a 17mm socket on the end. You have to feel for the head of the long through bolt with one hand while passing the coupled extensions w/17mm socket up high and extending rearward to reach the 17mm bolt head. Then attach a long-handled 3/8” socket wrench (I use a flex head wrench) to the end of the coupled extension and just crank the bolt until the vise grip falls off (with nut attached). I learned this trick when working on my old ’58 VW. After that, I also attach a hose clamp to the bolt head perimeter, to make things easier the next time.

[Neil Bardsley]

I tried and failed to remove my starter motor today. I managed to loosen and remove the lower nut. I located the nut in the engine bay behind the fan shroud and put a wrench grip on it. Which is I believe attached to the long top bolt However, I completely failed to find the head of the top bolt. I tried reaching over from the otherside of the gearbox box and my arms weren't thin enough. I couldn't feel it from the starter side or get a 17mm socket onto it? Someone suggested to me that is might be recessed to prevent it from turning but that doesn't seem to match what is said in the article above?

[David Jones]

You need one of these Neil, although I think you can sacrifice a normal 17 mm ring spanner and get someone with thinner arms to reach over the trans to get it located. Refitting is easy, jut place a hose clamp on the head of the bolt when you insert it and that takes care of the problem in the future.
http://www.sirtools.com/ap222x.jpg

[Doug McDonnell]

The head of that top bolt can be very fun. I have found that I can usually loosen the nut in the engine bay with a box end wrench and if necessary a small bladed screw driver pushing down on the bolt end to keep it from turning. After removal turn the head of the bolt into a helper bolt: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11135&p=47389&hilit ... ing#p47389

[Alex Parmenter]

Neil, make sure that the factory sound deadening has not drooped down over the starter as this will seem to significantly reduce access. This had happened on my C and was difficult to get access, but it can be pushed up out the way. It’s now glued back in its proper place, until gravity wins again.

[Harlan Halsey]

The upper long engine mounting bolt can be a problem. You can only reach the head by reaching over the transmission. This is not too hard if the area is clean. If the bolt head is unmodified, then one of those magnetic angled holders will work. So will a helper. The second reason is that the bolt hole in the starter mounting flange is lined up tangent to the motor housing. This means that unless the bolt head has been ground down to the shaft on one side, the bolt won't pass the motor housing. You can't remove it or replace it without angling the bolt, which you can only do with the starter out of the car. The bolt has to come out with the starter. (There was/is a VW starter bolt with a modified head.) This suggests that there are two modifications to the starter bolt: grind the flat on the head, and emplace the roll pin.
Dealing with the starter bolt nut is engine out practice.

[Neil Bardsley]

Thank you. I got it off. The nut on the long bolt off easily. Someone had put a sticky substance on the head of the bolt to hold it in place. My records suggest it was probably Jack Staggs and I would assume he knows all the tricks and has invented a few.

I took me a while to figure out that I had to remove the long bolt to get the starter out. I found a place to recondition about 5 mins away. I was glad not to have to post.

[Phil Planck]

I assume this bolt is to help prevent turning:

https://www2.cip1.com/vwc-111-199-101/

I put a small roll pin in tge head of my bolt.