Starter Replacement Instructions For 1999 Corolla

I am no mechanic but I did this in about 3 or 4 hours without ever having changed a starter before. It's not rocket science and it saved me about $500 in parts and labor. I purchased a rebuilt starter from a parts store for $145.

At the time I was certain the starter was the problem. For weeks it had just "clicked" when the ignition was engaged. This click might occur 2 to 10 times before the engine would start as normal. Then one day, about 3 weeks after this began, the starter burned itself up after it had started the engine. Car has started properly for the past 3 years or so since the replacement.

• Use a 10mm ratchet attachment to remove the battery from the vehicle. Negative terminal first, then positive. Be careful not to cause an arc between the two terminals as intense pain will result. Remove the plastic plate that the battery sits in.
   
  

• Using the 10mm attachment again, remove the 6 bolts that hold the passenger side front splash guard from underneath the front bumper.
   
  

• From underneath the vehicle, locate the oil filter. Look above oil filter and you will see the starter. Locate the bottom 14 mm bolt that attaches the lower portion of the starter to the engine. The bolt drives from left to right. The starter is mounted toward the front of the vehicle and underneath the intake manifold. Still cant find it? Follow the cable that leads from the positive battery terminal. It ends at the starter. Not sure you have the right bolt? Stick your 14mm attachment on it with your fingers and see if it fits on properly.
   
  

• Go ahead and remove the oil filter now as it will prevent the starter from being pulled out later. Be sure to have a pan ready to catch oil that will run out of oil filter and oil pan. This is probably a good time to change your oil was you've completed the starter replacement.
   
  

• The top bolt to the starter is difficult to locate. It is almost impossible to see. If you stick your head upside-down into the engine compartment where the battery is normally located, and look to your left, you will see the other 14mm bolt. It goes in from the OPPOSITE direction from the bottom bolt.
   
  

• Remove both these bolts. Bottom and then top. They are pretty hard to get to. Have a good ratchet wrench with 14mm attachment on and just work on them until they come out. The top one is very tough because it is a blind removal and requires a long extension for your wrench and a universal joint attachment for convenience. It may seem impossible at first but it can be done. Count on doing a little damage to your hands, its part of the process as both are very tight squeezes.
   
  

• Once both bolts are out tap the starter out of the engine and then use a 12mm attachment to remove the terminal from the starter. Use your hand to unplug the wiring harness and pull the starter out through the bottom using the space vacated by the oil filter.
   
  

• Reassembly is just the reverse of Steps 1-8. Make sure the new starter is firmly seated in the engine before starting to put both 14mm bolts back in. Helps to have another hand or two for this step. Also, I recommend re-attaching the wiring harness and terminal from the positive cable PRIOR to reinserting the new starter as they will be much more difficult to work with afterwards. Note: I did this entire job without raising the front of the vehicle. I am thinner than most but I found I had enough room to work from the underside despite being rather uncomfortable.
   
  

Many thanks to yoyoma for these instructions. They were probably the difference between being able to do it myself, and having to pay to have it done. I know it had to save me several hours of what would have been great frustration.Having said that, I'd like to add some additional tips that may save someone else 15 or so minutes in this process.

Removal

• Putting the car up on jack stands or ramps gives you more room to move. This is probably even better than putting the car up on a lift, because you need to do some of the work from the top side.
  
• A breaker bar makes it a easier than using a ratchet to get the two bolts loose that hold the starter on.
  
• The terminal wire to the starter is protected by a hinged plastic cover. Just gently pull the end towards you to expose the terminal and the nut that holds the terminal to the starter.
  
• I used two extensions that totalled about 9.5" to remove the upper starter bolt. With the battery removed, that is just the right length, and makes taking that bolt out a lot easier. I would guess that extensions between 9" and 11" would work the best.
  

Installation

• Make sure you route the terminal wire the way it was to keep it from interfering with the rest of the installation.
  
• Put the lower bolt in before the upper bolt, and then tighten until the starter is sitting flush with the engine. Then loosen it a turn or two, to give you enough room to jiggle the starter and make putting the upper bolt in easier. However, don't loosen it so much that the lip on the starter can come out of the well in the engine where it should sit.
  
• To put the upper bolt in, put the 14mm socket on your extension (about 9" to 11") without using the ratchet. Use that to start the bolt into the starter, turning the extension with your right hand, while reaching between the engine and the radiator with left hand to wiggle the starter as needed. With the battery removed, you may not need the universal joint attachment. During this step, expect to skin up your left wrist to match the cuts on the backs of your hands.
  
• If you have a torque wrench, I'd suggest using it for tightening these two bolts. (I found a reference that says to use 37 ft/lbs) That felt about right, and is not so easy to do with a ratchet in close quarters.