Can I get to my starter bolt through my radio slot??

[540318]

Hi guys, newbie on the 318ti front but know Bimmers. A sweet '98/80k miles ti recently joined our other E39/540 in the garage. Love the 318 but I'm looking at replacing an erratic starter and cannot believe how buried the thing is.

Are removing the intake plenum or loosing the transmission (mine is auto) the only two options?? Can't imagine BMW would do that.

Lower bolt of starter and connections no problem, but top one?? Even considered (for a second) popping the radio and poking a temporary hole through the firewall, I bet it would be close to that top bolt.

Any ideas? I know this is an old subject and I think one member said it can be done without removing anything, just pushing water hoses around. Is that really true?. Thanks for input, hate to accept defeat and take it to the dealer.

[CirrusSR22]

I've pulled the radio out and I think there's plenty of stuff back there. Not exactly an easy shot in. I'm not quite sure that's the ideal answer. Doesn't seem like it would be lined up vertically anyways.

If you pull just the upper intake manifold off, here's what it will look like. It won't help too much.


If you also pull the lower intake manifold off, here's what it looks like. Should be simple at this point. Getting that lower intake manifold off is not a very fun project.


According to the Bentley manual, both upper & lower starter bolts (as well as the starter) can be removed from underneath the car.

[DustenT]

Remove the upper intake manifold and then put a jack under the tranny. Remove the tranny support brace and SLOWLY lower the tranny. This will tilt the tranny and motor back. Now use like 6 feet worth of socket extensions to reach the start bolts from back behind the tranny. It's not the easiest but it can be done if you take your time.

Good luck.

[angel318ti]

ratchet wrenches FTW! I got mine from the top every time. get the stubby ones.

[540318]

Originally Posted by CirrusSR22

I've pulled the radio out and I think there's plenty of stuff back there. Not exactly an easy shot in. I'm not quite sure that's the ideal answer. Doesn't seem like it would be lined up vertically anyways.

If you pull just the upper intake manifold off, here's what it will look like. It won't help too much.


If you also pull the lower intake manifold off, here's what it looks like. Should be simple at this point. Getting that lower intake manifold off is not a very fun project.


According to the Bentley manual, both upper & lower starter bolts (as well as the starter) can be removed from underneath the car.

Cirrus, thanks for pics, very useful.... Looks like a better (and more tedious) way to go than risk busting the Torx bolt with so little room from under, hard to imagine how Bentley sees it.

[540318]

Originally Posted by angel318ti

ratchet wrenches FTW! I got mine from the top every time. get the stubby ones.

... Every time? Like you do this often? I can see it with a short wrench as you say, now is the bolt going to go with rust, crud and short lever ?... maybe, worth a try, thx

[campaiar]

Originally Posted by DustenT

Remove the upper intake manifold and then put a jack under the tranny. Remove the tranny support brace and SLOWLY lower the tranny. This will tilt the tranny and motor back. Now use like 6 feet worth of socket extensions to reach the start bolts from back behind the tranny. It's not the easiest but it can be done if you take your time.

Good luck.

Yes ^.

If you take your time, the starter can be removed through the bottom of the car as well. I think I took mine down behind the oil dipstick tube right by the fuel lines. Didn't touch the intake at all. It takes some time though.

[raj27]

when we replaced mine, we took off the drive shift and exhaust, tilted the trans a considerable amount and we were able to reach it from under the car.

[DustenT]

Originally Posted by raj27

when we replaced mine, we took off the drive shift and exhaust, tilted the trans a considerable amount and we were able to reach it from under the car.

Oh yeah, exhaust and drive shaft need to be removed.

[540318]

All right, I'm getting a little confused. I've got a good relation$hip with my dealer, I asked him about the starter job and he says 1.5 hours labor.

From the posts here, taking the plenum out, dropping the trannie, exhaust, driveshaft, etc... ALL sounds like a major PITA and a lot more than 1.5 hours.

So how does BMW do it?? Special tools?? Super smart mechs?, they can't be smarter than his group ;-)

I know, I know, you guys are going to say: "Take it to the dealer then..."

Still, I'm stumped and would like to know what the best way is to get it started...

[DustenT]

You probably don't need to remove the intake manifold. Just drop the tranny brace with the exhaust and shaft removed and you'll have access.

[cali-ti]

the dealer also has a bunch of nice tools, lifts, etc to use

just jacking my car up so i could get under there to do the real work would take 1/2 hour to an hour. i have no compressor or air tools so getting off the rusted exhaust nuts and such ... would likely soak them with penetrating oil and let 'em sit for a half hour.

yeah, this job would easily take me all day, lol