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71 Satellite project, Help!

Jess_71

Jess_71

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Hey, guys so I'm 19 and new to the forum and really never had anyone to show me the ropes on the mechanics but I'm passionate about working on cars and am trying to fix my baby up myself, and I am in need of helpful suggestions. It's my first car I purchased with my hard earned money, a 1971 Plymouth Satellite with a 318 small block. Right now I am working on replacing the starter first. If anyone has suggestions, websites, how-to guides, etc I would appreciate the input. I've watched a few videos but they weren't to helpful being they weren't specific to the year make or model. Trust me she needs A LOT more work so I will be back with more questions.
 
1. A good jack and jack stands. (I learned this one the hard way.
2. A service manual is always helpful, and a great investment.
3. When working with, or around anything electrical, always disconnect the battery. (I also learned this the hard way).
4. When working under an old car, wear safety glasses to keep dirt out of your eyes. (Again, the hard way).
Other than that, just remove the nuts that hold the wires to the starter, and the bolts that hold the starter in, and drop it out. There may be a shim between the starter and the transmission, you'll want to reuse that.
Good luck,
 
1/4 inch socket set (and being limber) helps with the small wiring nuts (don't lose them).

The top bolt/nut is a pain. Seems like extensions are either too short or too long.

Don't lose those either, not super easy to find correct length and thread pitch.

Mind the potentially hot exhaust.

Just a side note- sometimes other things can have the same symptoms as a bad starter.

like a relay, solenoid or "bendix" for example...
 
If it hasn't been mentioned, don't forget to disconnect the battery before attempting replacement.

Edit: I'm a dummy, it was mentioned.
 
Make sure you test the new starter before installing it. Just because it maybe new or rebuilt does not guarantee that it will work.
 
before you go to turning a bolt
if you are jacking a car up and crawling under it.
make sure the wheels are chocked so the car can't roll in either direction
and use jack stands,never depend on the jack to hold it up in the air.
a good hard surface to work on also helps.
 
I agree with all the above and if you take a part off compare everything you can about it with the new one before you put it on. - I've learned that the hard way a few times.
 
Have you tried jumping the relay with a screwdriver?

How about jumping the solenoid connector to the big "hot" on the starter?

I guess I'm asking how you know it's the starter.
 
I would invest in original or reproduction Service Manuals, or even a Chiltons for the car/period. Youtube is also a surprisingly good resource.

Welcome.
 
Mopar 3B's comment brought back some bad memories. I replaced the starter on a 73 Roadrunner with headers and had to drop a header to get it in. It took me a couple of hours, and when I got all done I found out the brand new starter I got from Twin B Auto Parts was DOA and had to do it all over again. I always get my starters and alternators tested before I leave the store.

As for starters in general, if you're going to be adding headers in the future, you might want to invest in a mini-starter instead of a stock one.

Make sure you disconnect the battery before starting. Sparks and melted wires are no fun.

If you're going to be doing a lot of work on your car, you might want to invest in a good deck/floor jack and not buy a cheap $40 one. They usually don't raise the car very high, which makes working on them harder. I found a nice 3.5 ton Craftsman for $80 on Craigslist and it's been a great investment.
 
A good set off ramps can become invaluable. And i am not refuring to the cheap metal ones.
Cheaper than a good floor jack for the beginner with no need of investing jackstand when there more than likely is no solid surface to set then on anyway.
 
I've had nothing but bad experiences with ramps, no matter the construction.

I do have the $80 harbor freight 2.5 ton (new ones are 3 ton) low profile floor jack and I have to say it gets a lot of use and has been just fine. These cars can sit pretty low and it slides right under the lower control arms.
 
I agree about not using ramps. Craftsman used to sell a kit with a 3ton jack and stands. Bishko sells the repopped service manuals for about $60, ebay id is irvb. Nothing better than the factory manual. mymopar.com has the downloadable manuals, worth checking out. Best of luck getting it back on the road
 
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