Starter Removal

[decoupe]

So the car 73CS is in my garage (which is good ) but the tools are not. When I turn the ignition to start there is a sound like the gear is not fully engaging the flywheel but is turning (not a pleasant sound). So I'm assuming it's remove and rebuild. Below is what is listed from a CDN online supplier I've used. $125 plus core exchange.

Starter Remanufactured
Brand: Bosch
Part # W0133-1607281
Fits: / .95 Kw - SR 71X
Product Weight: 8.55 lb

Anyone done this from above the starter? Remove the heater hoses, intake manifold heater hose and return from the overflow tank. Can I get it out this way?

Thanks

 

[corsachili]

Hi Doug,

Curious that. I'm sorta surprised.........that starter should have that many cranks on it. Anyway, it's hard to get to but there are two 17mm bolts that hold it to the bell housing. Their heads are accessible from the engine side. It's probably necessary to remove the coolant tank, but once you do that, you shouldn't have too much trouble getting it off. As I recall one of the bolts is kinda hard to get to because there's not a lot of space around it, so having a few different sized/profiled 17mm open end wrenches is advised.

That price sounds about right. When I have em rebuilt by Autolectrics in Campbell, CA, the price is about $100-125 for a rebuild.

 

[Malc]

Doug,
Same starter is used on most of BMW "big sixes" look out for a good 2nd hand one from an E28 (5 series) or the 6 series you might get it cheaper
plus you can swap it out with yours and still have the car running whilst you send the old one away to be fixed
Just a thought
Malc

 

[David]

Just curious, but how can you tell it's not the flywheel itself missing teeth ?

 

[decoupe]

Hi TJ - The other possibility is that, even fully charged, the little Odessey battery under the rear seat doesn't have enough amps to properly engage but it hasn't done this before. I'll try a full size battery first. I did have to tap the starter with a stick when I fired it up this spring.

David - anything is possible but I inspected the flywheel closely last spring when I changed out the transmission.

 

[Philip Slate]

kinda apples and oranges here, but TBL has an Odyssey battery also and the starter (bendix gear) will engage the fly wheel even if the battery does not have enough umph to crank over the engine. The various fruit come into play because the starter is a special super dooper light weight racing starter, not a stock unit. However, even when TBL had a regular factory type starter the bendix would engage no matter what the battery condition.

 

[decoupe]

If I give the starter a good hard tap with a broom handle it spins like new. I think the sound is the solenoid chattering as the contacts try to close. Still needs to come out but at least I can drive it.

Does BMW make an OEM broom pole?

 

[MichaelP]

If I give the starter a good hard tap with a broom handle it spins like new.

Yup. Sounds like the solonoid is done. This job is a huge PITA with EFI runners in the way, but it should be straightforward with carbs. One helpful hint: the 17mm Heyco wrench in your boot toolkit has a nice narrow profile for getting at the bolts to the bellhousing.

 

[Philip Slate]

BMW did have an OEM broom pole but in true Mobile Traditions tradition, it is NLA. (Just kidding. It's available from the dealer for 4,860 dollars....Canadian)

 

[sfdon]

Remember to replace the bolts with studs and nuts. Next time will be much easier. Also- the upgrade is to use an e32 starter- newer design and much smaller.

 

[jhjacobs]

Interesting thread. When I was 16 (1976) I replaced my first M30 starter. I wound up grinding down the head of a perfectly good craftsman wrench (which I still have) to get the freaking bolt loose. I was so aggravated by the placement of the top bolt that I actually wrote a letter to BMW and suggested that a design change (allen bolt or something) was in order. They politely thanked me for my letter and assured me that their engineers would look at it. Incedentally, I took a hack saw and cut a notch in the head of the top bolt so I could use a screw driver to snug it up and I did the last 1/4 turn with a wrench.

 

[decoupe]

I'll give a review on which is worse:

Removing the starter on the m30 from 73 CS

or

Removing the master brake cylinder from 76 2002

I get to do both. Particularly pissed about the 02 since I had the engine out all winter.

 

[Honolulu]

the right tools and some patience, always works

the right tools

some patience

some time so as not to rush the job

good lighting

a clean, level, hard floor to find the stuff you drop

tunes in the background

and a goodly supply of elbow grease

 

[bert35csi]

Definitely one of the most unpleasant job to tackle on a big six engine one can think of. Almost an impossible task without the use of the Bmw ultra thin 12 point combo 17mm/19mm box wrench. For added leverage during bolt removing and tightening, suggest you loop a nylon webbing or a strong rope through the other end of the box wrench and pull toward your body. This will generate enough torque to loosen and tighten the bolt sufficiently. The starter can be removed and re-installed completely from above. Suggest using new bolts and wave washers.

Also recommend fitting the later starter from the e34 5 series. Smaller and more powerful than the earlier M30 starters and due to its smaller size, a whole lot easier r/r process. I will install this exact unit on my M6 when need be in the future.

Bert
72 3.5 CSi
88 M6