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Starter removal

Skytrooper

Skytrooper

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A simple task made miserable by headers ! The damn thing is trapped like a canary in a cage. I disconnected the headers to get to the bolts, removed the starter, but that is as far as I can get. I cannot get the starter or the header out of the car. The PO "custom" fit the headers by caving them in with a hammer wherever they made unwanted contact. I think my only option is to take a sawzall to the headers. I battled this all day yesterday....tried everything I know to make enough room.
Anybody have '71 440 HP stock exhaust manifolds ?
 
Try taking the bolt out of the drivers motor mount and jack it up a bit on that side?
 
Disconnecting the left motor mount and jacking the engine up a bit will help with removing the starter. I have a set of manifolds I would part with, however, they are not date coded for 71. Heat riser is intact and moves freely. 325.00 for the pair plus ship. Also, I still have the 71 r/t hood louver and drain tray if interested in that as well. :thumbsup: -Tom. Off to work now..uggh!
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Sorry to hear your pains....I have been there and done that.....

They are nice until you have to do some maintenance......

The set above will be a great choice if you go that route...
 
I don't know how bad your headers are, but what I used to do, is completely unloosen that header, shove it over as far as it would go, and fight the starter out.
 
Yea my TTI 2" tubes are a real treat to work on when it comes to starter issues. I feel your pain man. Try the above and jack up the driver side. You run a mini starter or the standard size? That mini starter atleast helps a ton as far as room goes.
 
91r/t said:
Yea my TTI 2" tubes are a real treat to work on when it comes to starter issues. I feel your pain man. Try the above and jack up the driver side. You run a mini starter or the standard size? That mini starter atleast helps a ton as far as room goes.
Click to expand...
Yep or at least the smaller factory Dakota/Ram starters....
 
once you have the old starter out install a newer small starter from a 360 magnum. it worked great on my 451 and tti headers it will remove with out unbolting the header.
 
taking out standard and installing a mini...at least that is my intention !
 
Skytrooper said:
taking out standard and installing a mini...at least that is my intention !
Click to expand...
headers at some makers dont care about replacing the starter after they are on . tti is one of the only header maker that think of this i.e replacing starter. even my old hooker super comp headers had to be remover and held off to the side for even the mini starter.
 
got a complete 400/72 motor ( non turning )
you can get the exhaust manifolds off if you need them..just lmk.
plus hey you are local.
 
The party that posted above is correct in that the route to go is unbolting the left side motor mounts and the header - jacking up the engine a bit and the starter will slide out. I pretty much became an expert at this method back in the day because I used to burn thru starters presumably due to heat. I now run a Promaster mini that suggests it defies heat soak, plus wrap the headers in the offending area. That particular mini costs a pretty penny but if it does the job it claims to do it’s worth it. I’m not a kid anymore and changing starters on these old Mopars is no longer a sporting activity..... it’s a PIA!
 
On my '66 even with the good TTI's & a mini starter need to un-bolt the header. Back in the day, on my '70 Cuda with old full size starter & cheapest Mexican headers available, needed to loosen passenger side motor mount bolt, remove drivers side bolt & jack the motor up. Lots of trial & error was needed for both header install & removal.
 
$325 for a nice set of HP manifolds with a free heat riser is as good a bargain as Ive seen on this site.
 
My headers are multi piece with the rear 2 tubes doing over the chassis rail with the slip tubes being on the outside of the rail.It does save some blood when changing the starter:)

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moparsaver said:
Disconnecting the left motor mount and jacking the engine up a bit will help with removing the starter. I have a set of manifolds I would part with, however, they are not date coded for 71. Heat riser is intact and moves freely. 325.00 for the pair plus ship. Also, I still have the 71 r/t hood louver and drain tray if interested in that as well. :thumbsup: -Tom. Off to work now..uggh!
View attachment 784439 View attachment 784440 View attachment 784441 View attachment 784442 View attachment 784443 View attachment 784444View attachment 784445 View attachment 784446 View attachment 784447 View attachment 784448
Click to expand...
6th picture.. the shadow makes the Mopar M :bananadance:
 
So, I am going to disconnect the left motor mount and jack that side to see if I can get enough clearance to remove the starter. I might have to re use headers, which is not my favorite choice. Let me see how things turn out, right now I am very short on funding. Hopefully I can get to it this weekend. I will post my progress....or lack thereof LoL
 
Skytrooper said:
So, I am going to disconnect the left motor mount and jack that side to see if I can get enough clearance to remove the starter. I might have to re use headers, which is not my favorite choice. Let me see how things turn out, right now I am very short on funding. Hopefully I can get to it this weekend. I will post my progress....or lack thereof LoL
Click to expand...
I’m sure doing so it’ll go fine. I’ve don’t it too many times to count and it’s all about the process.. Good luck!
 
My last struggle with headers was on my 78 ramcharger. It had a 360 but, there was plenty of room to remove old ones and install new headers. Of course that was back in '84....
 
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