How to change a 960's starter motor.

[TheJoyOfSix]

Having just had to do this and discovered what a pain it is to do I thought I'd write a little guide for anyone else who might have to do the same.
As there is no manual for the 960, and the fact that they are still probably new enough for few people to have had to change one a guide may be of use.

You WILL need;

12mm spanner.
13mm spanner.
14mm spanner.

10mm socket or spanner.

12mm socket (pref. 3/8" drive, and deep)

Short extension bar.

40mm Torx socket.

Ratchet.

Small flat blade screwdriver.
Medium flat blade screw driver.

Jubilee (Hose) clip about 1" in dia.

Sharp knife.

Prybar.

A set of ramps (axle stands and a decent jack can be used instead). 85% or the work is done from underneath.

Plenty of Tea/Coffee/Cigarettes for the breaks you will need to take to get feeling back in your arms.........

Ok, having gathered the neccessary tools you can begin.

1, Drive the car onto the ramps or jack up and support on stands.
2, Open the bonnet and flip the catches to push it back to the vertical position.
3, Disconnect BOTH leads to the battery and tie the +ve lead out of the way ensuring there is no way it can touch the +ve terminal. Note your cars' radio code before hand!!
4, Using a 12mm socket remove the engine undertray (this is to allow you to reach above the crossmember and betwixt the engine mount and block to as there is not enough space for both hands to reach up between the crossmember and bulkhead (firewall).
5, With the 40mm Torx socket remove the two bolts that hold the warm air preheat pipe to the sump and remove the metal pipe.
6, With a 13mm spanner disconnet the two +ve leads from the front of the starter solenoid, pull of the blue wire from its spade terminal.
7, With the 12mm socket undo the bolt that holds one of the +ve cables to the block, and the bolt that hold the gearbox cables to the block.
8, Unclip the electrical connector from the bottom of the inlet manifold.
9, Unclip the wire to the sensor on the block just below the solenoid.
10, Using a small screwdriver break the 'once only' clip that holds the breather pipe onto the sump (oilpan) and use the larger screwdriver to lever off the pipe.
11, From above the car use the knife to cut the cable tie that holds the wrining to the dipstick bracket. Disconnect the TPS wiring.
12, Use the 14mm spanner to remove the bolt that holds the dipstick bracket to the bellhousing and remove the dipstick tube from the sump. (there is no need to remove it from the car, but this needs to be moved out of the way to allow the starter to fit out from underneath!)
13, Use the 14mm spanner to remove the top bolt that holds the starter motor to the bellhousing.
14, Back underneath the car remove the lower bolt that holds the starter motor on (14mm spanner again)
15, Now remove the 12mmolt that holds the front starter motor bracket to the block.
16, Use the prybar to lever the starter motor off the bellhousing. It will only move so far before its mounting bracket bangs on the engine mount bracket so it will need to be rotated couner-clockwise to allow it to come clear of the bellhousing.
17, Now it should just be able to be manouevered out between the bodywork, the crossmember and the chassis brace.
18, Throw it away!

Refitment is a reversal of removal, but don't forget to use a new clip on the breather hose and to reconnect the TPS, inlet mani and block sensor wires. Also don't forget to reset the cars' clock and input the radio code!

The breather pipe and dipstick have to be removed to allow enough clearance to extricate the starter motor. The only other way would be to remove the inlet manifold and do the entire procedure from above but I feel that's a bit excessive!

The job took me two hours exactly (going by having to reset the cars' clock!). It could have been done in less had I not stopped for a few breaks and if I knew how to do it before hand. I did wwaste time by struggling to remove things before realising that other things had to be done first!


Anyway, there it is. If anyone spots anything I've missed or has another way of doing it feel free to shout up. I'm thinking that maybe this could be 'stickied' for future reference?


All I can say is you redblock folks have it easy..........

[Peter Milnes]

I have copied this and will send it on to Jack on your behalf.

All the best, Peter.