my Maui Blue '89 Formula 350 with 29745 K on the odometer arrived yesterday. the guy i bought it from couldnt get it to start, so he thinking the starter had gone bad, removed the original starter, had it rebuilt, and sent it with the car, un-installed. so for the last two days i've been on my back, under this car trying to make the starter fit into place so i can bolt it in, and it just will not fit . i can get it into the "housing area" but then it requires an extra 45 degree rotation to be in the proper position. something is always in the way, be it the oil pan, the Y-pipe, or the engine block. i have tried from every angle. i've replaced plenty of starters before, but right now i just feel defeated. defeated and mocked. and with an urge to kill.

today, i even went to the auto parts store to compare the starter in order to insure that it was in fact the correct starter. i have never heard of or personally had to remove exhaust components to install a starter on a 3rd Gen.

any ideas? anyone familiar with this "impossible starter installation syndrome" or (ISIS) that i am now experiencing?

thanks.

 

I had to drop the Y pipe on mine to get it out. I bought a mini starter so I don't have to worry about it again

 

does the mini starter hook up (wiring-wise) the exact same as the stock 80 pounder? which mini starter did you get and how much did it cost?

oh, and if you had to remove and re-install your mini-starter would you have to drop the Y-pipe in order ot do it?

 

I had to drop the y-pipe on mine buddy, you might just have to bite the bullet. Or you could buy a LT1 starter, they are 12 pounds lighter and mine was $60 on ebay.

 

okay, that's cool. good to know, i mean. i guess it's not necessary unless you have the dual-cat set up. i already soaked the nuts in WD40 and broke em. so i'll get to it tomorrow.

thanks

i'll post up pics once i get her running and cleaned up. interior looks and smells like a new car.

unfortunately, i think the fuel system will need to be purged, because the fuel in the tank smells like fuel from a car that has been sitting in a junk yard.

i guess that's why the car only has less than 30K on it - he never drove it.

 

30k on the clock! dude hang on to that thing! I saw a low mileage 3rd gen go for $17,000 on barret jackson. And I can only see the price of our cars going up from here.