starter removal.....ugh!!!
 

so yea.... i heard that changing the starter on a 76 302 was a nightmare but i had no idea....

so i took of the backet you have to take off just to get to the bolts to the starter... couldnt do it on first attempt... its not like those bolts are covered with 30 years of rust or nething!!! i was like yay, i thought THAT was the hard part... and then i found out what awaited....

remove engine mounts? rack and pinion???? WTF! im not even sure if the starter is the problem!!!!! HAHA so can anyone tell me which method is easier, sounds like the rack and pinion would be if its just 2 bolts and it swings down...

can anyone help!!!!

RE: starter removal.....ugh!!!
 

Remove the passenger side motor mount, then you can "slide" the starter towards the front end and out of its "HOLE"! I used an old scrap piece of 2x4 across the oil pan with my jack to hold the engine up and to get the motor mount out. It isn't easy - at all, no part of it is easy but it's what us II's have to deal with.

RE: starter removal.....ugh!!!
 

i decided to go the steering route... i took off those 2 huge bolts in the middle and removed the cotter pin and nut on the passenger side... now i was under the impression that once that nut was removed that side of the rack was just going to slide down??? it still doesnt budge, did i forget to do something?

RE: starter removal.....ugh!!!
 

the front end is up on ramps... could maybe this be causing something to be hitting something else... i did get it to come down a little on the passenger side but not too much on the drivers side due to it being connected to the steeringcolume im assuming?

RE: starter removal.....ugh!!!
 

[sm=nothatway.gif]I never entertained the idea of removing the rack to replace the starter. When I replaced mine a couple of years ago, I googled "stater replacement Mustang II" and found a link that told gave dealer instructions on the starter replacement for II's. It only talked about removing the motor mount, no talk of removing the rack. Me thinks you may have unbolted stuff just for the sake of saying you have unbolted it.[sm=icon_flaming.gif]
I haven't really paid that much attention to the rack/starter locations. If my memory serves me correct, I think my starter was too wide to slide down past the frame and oil pan? I'll have to take a closer look this evening when I get home. If I were you, I'd say screw it, bolt it back up and remove the motor mount. I know for a FACT that it works that way.....[sm=signs003.gif]

RE: starter removal.....ugh!!!
 

haha... i seem to do alot ofdoing things just to say i did themwith my 2 stang 2s!!! neways, with a combo of rack n motor mount i managed to squeeze the old one out and the new one in. looks nice under there.... new starter, new alt. new way to expensive aptima bat.... but it still wont start without a jump from something else! and once its started, and i turn it off all i get is a buzzing/ grinding sound! my best guess is a short some where... but i have no idea where.... or maybe something in the starting cycle... maybe that wireless ignition coil thingy?? idk im out of ideas... do you guys have any???

RE: starter removal.....ugh!!!
 

WOW....I guess I would try replacing the battery cables and starter solenoid. I would think that if the cables were bad you wouldn't be able to jump it either. Same for the solenoid. But at this point, I'm out of ideas. I figured it would of been the starter. Somethings stopping you from getting enough juice to the starter....bad ground? You may have an intermittent ignition issue. Weird thing there is it decides to work when you attempt to jump it though. Are you certain that your new battery has a full charge? Put it on a charger for a few hours then give it another try. I've bought "New" batteries in the past that needed to be charged. You have no way of knowing how long that battery has been sitting on the rack at the auto parts store. Also, try "jiggling" your key while it's in the ignition switch, you may have a short in the ignition switch, then try to start it agin. WTF, at this point try anything! LOL! Good luck.

I hope to be firing mine up this weekend. Prolly Sunday, bad bad weather in the forecast for Friday and Saturday here. Just got my gas tank/fuel lines and hoses finished off last night. Gonna prime the engine, get my new dizzy lined up and put some juice to that new fresh 302! Hope I haven't forgotten anything!:eek:

RE: starter removal.....ugh!!!
 

yea i just replaced the starter relay last night with no luck but its funny that you mention the short being in the ignition swith because i notice every once in a while when im turning the key back to the accesory position it "jumps" a little.... you know like cranks once n then stops.... i never thought of that!! also do you know where the neg cable is supposed to be grounded to? block or somewheres else?

RE: starter removal.....ugh!!!
 

my ground is on the block -behind the intake manifold but in front of the tranny bellhousing.

RE: starter removal.....ugh!!!
 

I had a '75 V8 car and replaced the starter [probably been15 years] Iremoved the right side motor mount,jacked up the engine with a jack and block of wood. Jack it up high enough to slide starter forward and out. It sounds harder than it is.The grinding noise you hear maybe the bendix drive . Old Ford starters did stick 'on and engaged.'