VR V6 Commodore, Replacing the Starter motor on a Auto

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

You can get to the main cable with a socket and extension, also the trigger wire.

 

[Lex]

Disconnect at battery first, then at the starter.
Once the main cable comes of the starter motor, the s/m is a lot more easily maneuvered.

 

[Immortality]

Last time I pulled a starter motor off an ecotec I undid the bolts and it just fell off but then the engine was also out of the car. Maybe that is the way to go?

 

[Skylarking]

Last time I pulled a starter motor off an ecotec I undid the bolts and it just fell off but then the engine was also out of the car. Maybe that is the way to go?

Hahaha, take the engine out. Then it will definitely be easier to remove the starter

 

[vc commodore]

Since you young guy love to give me acronym where I have to use GOOGLE to find out what the acronym is Now i will give you a acronym that was well used (very Popular) in the 60's and 70's and that is when you buy something and it does not work correctly or does not work at all you say Its NWACFOCW. Now we did not have internet those days but we did have a letter that we can write and most of the time if we had a issue like this and because people those days it was just about impossible to offend anyone then not like today men on tools widely used NWACFOCW when writing a comment.
Now lets see if you guys can give me what is NWACFOCW. by the way, it not in Google.

Back on Topic. When I got under the VR yesterday to de greso it I found the Passengers side Rack rubber boot broken. Last night I purchased from ebay in a pack of 6, 2 boots, 2 tie rod ends, and 2 rods for the each ends all for $65. No doubt the Tie rod ends will have some play in them

Just because the rack boots are torn, it doesn't necessarily mean the tie rod ends have play....That being said, it is beneficial replacing them, as they have to be removed to replace the rack boot

 

[shane_3800]

Hahaha, take the engine out. Then it will definitely be easier to remove the starter

It's not a hard job though, removing the engine that is. Putting it back in as these cars are old is another story, all the F'ing around to make sure nothing leaks is time consuming.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

Well I had to do a nite post because I wont sleep tonight.

REMOVAL OF THE STARTER MOTOR

To remove the Starter motor out all I had to do is unclip the Solenoid spade connector, Then remove the Main Positive cable (that was harder to do but still ok) from the Battery, then remove those two starter motor bolts. (one large one small) and it neally fell on my head and that's it. It breezed through the opening without removal of anything or loosening anything.

FITTING THE STARTER MOTOR

Now this was different. See I had the VR Commodore for nearly 24 years and I purchased the new starter motor about 12 months ago. Yes it was a AUTO meaning Automatic Transmission but yet this car doesn not use a starter motor from a Auto but the VR Comm, uses an MANUAL STARTER MOTOR.

See I purchased the starter motor 12 months ago on fleey bay a Bosch unit for the VR Comm that was a Auto so I purchased that starter motor as a auto but the auto wont FIT the car. After Scratching my head for 20 minute I found out my Auto VR needs a Manual Starter motor so I rang around to find one and Only REPCO had one the exact the same as the one in the car before I decided to remove it. REPCO wanted $280 for it and no Bolts was supplies with it as I had to use my old bolts to fit it. They are robbers to sell this CHINESE SHI>T at that price.
Now the Fun started, See the Bosch Starter motor I purchased from ebay 12 months ago had two large bolts, the one that is needed has one large and one small bolt and both starter motor when up there easier but the two large bolt version the Auto version of the starter motor would not mate up with anything so I knew it was the wrong one.
Once fitted with the two bolts, one small and one large (the other Starter motor was the same pattern but used two large bolts) and the correct starter motor it was IMPOSSIBLE two connect the main cable because of a divider that did not allow to use a Spanner and at the same time the Solenoid connection that small spade connector was facing the WRONG WAY and Holden did not give you 10 MM of spare cable to swing the cable the other way. F!@#$%^&*()K...
What I Had to do to fix this issue but what I Had to do to connect the main cable was worse. It was extremely hard to tightened the nut up and the only way to do it was unbolting the stater motor again move it towards the front then swinf down where the rack is that you can barely get at the positive nut with difficultly. What in the F..k was that company thinking of when they designed this expensive rubbish regarding the main connection and the spade connector that was the wrong way.
Anyhow I got the car Going and next time if there is a next time I will not block the driveway where the car was a car that your cannot start whilst on ramps.
For me to fit a Starter motor on a VR Comm either Manual or auto was very easy to do but to connect it with this Chinese SHi.t was just about impossible to do UNLESS YOU REMOVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, Now the Connection would be easy to do.
$280 frigging Dollars yet the two larger bolt version the Bosch unit for the Auto's was $85. So what give's why my car uses a Manual Starter motor????.


NO GOOD look at the the front where the ring gear is.

New Starter Motor for Holden Commodore V6 Auto 3.8L VN VG VP VR VS VT VU VX VY | eBay

Suits Models With Auto Transmission.

www.ebay.com.au

This one is OK. look at the front where the ring gear is. No other bush support needed

Starter Motor For Holden Commodore Calais V6 VN VP VR VS VT VY MANUAL TRANS 3.8L | eBay

Starter Motor for Holden Commodore VN VP VR VS VT VX VY V6 3.8L Manual. For Holden Commodore VN 3.8L V6 Petrol - 3800 LG2/LN3/L27 09/1988 - 08/1991. For Holden Commodore VY Series 1 3.8L V6 Petrol - Ecotec LN3/L36 10/2002 - 07/2003.

www.ebay.com.au

 

[Immortality]

Geez, what a saga. It certainly answers the question of why some find the job easy and others struggle. At least you persevered and got it done.

 

[shane_3800]

Count your self lucky. I had a new decent starter on my ute..... I jumped the relay and was trying to do something else at the same time after 5 mins I saw my relay jumper was still in place..... My starter was steaming hot and I can only get the china crap ones now ffs so it's got a worse looking one on but still with the same OEX stickers.

 

[losh1971]

I have an OEX and it's better than the original one. Glad it came out easy mine was a bitch and had to have rack moved to get it past.