95oldsVan Posted March 25, 2006 Report Posted March 25, 2006 This is for a 93 Grand Prix 3.1... I posted on another topic about the engine noise turned out to be the transmission noise.I believe the flywheel and TC were moving a bit because the bolts were bad. The 3 bolts that hold the TC to the flywheel were not GM peices and had star washers on them.The bolt threads were rolled and now I went to install new bolts and only got one on. The other 2 TC bolt holes are fubar.They were crossthreaded the last time someone put this flywheel in the car.The original flywheel was cracked so a shop did this butchery when they put this pice in....Im wondering if removing the starter will give me another flywheel access to retap out the TC thread holes for the flywheel? This is the only place I can see possible access without removing the trans from the car. One question though,Removing the starter is easy but the damn A/C hard line and hoses are in the way.It doesnt look like enough room to remove the starter without taking these hoses off and letting the freon out.Ive done starters many times but never seen the a/c lines right where they are and not looking to be enough room to push them aside. Anyone care to comment on this? Thanks and sorry for long posting. Quote
Turbocharged400sbc Posted March 25, 2006 Report Posted March 25, 2006 yer lucky day...i had a similar issue with a 3100 cutty...someone had done a trans job on it and they put in the wrong bolts...snapped two of em off...the customer wanted it fixed as cheaply as possible...so i took out the starter and welded the converter to the flywheel...he was happy, but i know someone is "mutherfucken" me at some point...but the guy wanted it cheap yes the starter will come out...its not super dificult...but it sux i've never had to pull those lines of before, but it's not to hard to unbolt the compressor and get another inch or so of room with the lines. use the tap to start the threads and once it bottoms out in both holes grind a couple threads off the end of the tap...and go at both holes again...and repeat (till your tap looks like a bottoming tap)...this should get you as cose to a straight threaded hole as is possible in a situation like this. good luck i wish you the best...and if it doesnt work...a welder will Regards, James Quote
95oldsVan Posted March 25, 2006 Author Report Posted March 25, 2006 Thanks James, I have taken out many a/c lines and compressor and etc before..heck I pulled engines,trannys and rear ends and do all my work at home...just was suprised with this car,the damn lines were where I need to pull the starter out...I was really hoping to get the starter out without disconnecting the hard lines from the dryer and the compressor itself...I have the same a/c lines on my 91 Lumina and have replaced them before..but they didnt appear to be in the way of starter removal like this car has.Maybe someone bent them down lower at one time when replacing iginition coils or something..I dunno...lol... I dont have a welding machine but that idea sounds good! If I cant get the starter out without removing the a/c lines,then the a/c lines are gonna come out...then Ill be able to see if I can turn the flywheel and TC up where the starter used to be and run a thread tap to try and fix the holes..if that doesnt work,the engine/trans is gonna come out so I can fix it out of the car,or get a new TC if the holes are really fubar.This car is my young brother in laws car and hes 16 years old and doesnt have alot of money to pay shops,so Im trying to help him best I can. Quote
Brian P Posted March 25, 2006 Report Posted March 25, 2006 you should not need to touch the A/C lines. I replaced the starter on a '93 Cutlass 3.1 with no problems. It's a little tight, but once the starter bolts are out and the wires are off, just let it rest onto the subframe member, slide out and tilt down and that should be plenty of room. Quote
95oldsVan Posted March 25, 2006 Author Report Posted March 25, 2006 you should not need to touch the A/C lines. I replaced the starter on a '93 Cutlass 3.1 with no problems. It's a little tight, but once the starter bolts are out and the wires are off, just let it rest onto the subframe member, slide out and tilt down and that should be plenty of room. I agree..dropped the starter down onto the frame last night BUT there STILL was no way to snake it/slide it out..even took the oil filter off there and the damn a/c hard lines were still in the way...it was so cramped in there I decided to just remove the a/c hose off and made enough room for it to come out.Didnt matter that I did,it was discharged anyway.Just took me 3 minutes to take that peksy hose off the dryer and compressor rear. I dont know wth is up with this car as far as that goes.The car was wrecked up front once before,maybe its something to do with that.If I could have taken a picture of it,I could show everyone what I mean...I dont have my digi cam at home right now so maybe when I get it back I can show everyone.Never seen this before and my 91 Lumina with the same engine and same exact a/c lines,I didnt have a problem with clearance for my starter. Btw the starter removal gave me enough room to try and tap the 2 TC thread holes out.Im not done yet ran out of time to fix it since wife went to work 3rd shift and gotta watch the kids... Keep yall posted... Quote
Brian P Posted March 26, 2006 Report Posted March 26, 2006 weird...yeah I bet the lines got mangled like you said. Hell if the system wasnt even charged, no harm no foul! Quote
95oldsVan Posted March 27, 2006 Author Report Posted March 27, 2006 weird...yeah I bet the lines got mangled like you said. Hell if the system wasnt even charged, no harm no foul! Man I got to looking under the car today and the bottom radiator support beam is pushed back towards the engine(from a collision) about 4 inches!!! No wonder with the frame pushed back there was no way to get the starter out without removing the a/c hoses....I guess whoever fixed the car didnt pull the front support beam back out. Even the 2 rad fans are really close to the engine/exhaust manifold.Ddint notice this the first time I was under there...its that bad.That means after I fix everything,and we get the a/c charged up,if they ever need a starter replaced,theyre gonna have to take the a/c line off because with that kind of damage,theres no other way to snake it out.That will mean recharging the a/c again. Maybe a mini starter might work?It would still be tight in there! Quote
White93z34 Posted March 27, 2006 Report Posted March 27, 2006 wow, thats prety fubar, i'd like to see pictures of this. i know i sure as shit would have never done that. its not THAT hard to weld in a radiator suport. Quote
95oldsVan Posted March 27, 2006 Author Report Posted March 27, 2006 wow, thats prety fubar, i'd like to see pictures of this. i know i sure as shit would have never done that. its not THAT hard to weld in a radiator suport. Im gonna have this car for a while...was told to take my time and etc...I also found out the radiator was bone dry...and I helped the guy fix his cooling system 3 months back..there doesnt appear to be any leaks so Im guessing a bad gakset,head gasket somewhere...maybe have to go ahead and take it all out and fix everything...when I get my digi-cam Ill show you guys some of the rad frame damage...and where I got stuck...im suprised I never noticed it the first time trying to take the starter out...when youre laying on your back with a drop light under the car,you only notice so much! Quote
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