starter on 98 dodge ram

Soundguy · Jan 25, 2009

You got the same truck i do.

Ditto what mark said.

I used a 3/8 ratchet with a 6" and a 3" extension... now here's the deal... you put the 3" extension on first.. then the 6" then the socket.. if you do it the other way, the hump where the extensions meet hits the starter in a funny place and WON"T fit! 2 6" extensions won't fit either. You kinda have to push the trans cooler lines to the side about 1/4" and use the ratcher on the right side of the starter. Takes about 5 minutes of cussing.. a couple eye popping grunts and a skinned knuckle, then it comes off. that's the fun part. do make sure battery hot is pulled.. cuz now here's the good part.. starter will only slide back about 3".. but needs 3.5" to come out.. there is a bracket held on with 2 bolts that you gotta pull.. then the starter only has enough cable to slip out and you kinda got to hold it and then grab 2 nut driver to spin the nuts holding the solenoid and battery loop terminals off the top of it. Getting it back in is fun too!

a impact wrench will spin that nut off without using the screwdriver.. I do it to alternator pulley nuts all the time... use the screwdriver when torquing the nut with a TW.

soundguy

EvanMacaluso said:
Ok I need some help... I have a 1998 Dodge ram 1500 4x4 5.9 and I am in the process of replacing the timing chain. I have the thing pulled apart but I cannot get the Damper off the crank shaft. The big nut holding it on will not crack loose as the shaft just rotates when I torque it. Hayes says to remove the starter and wedge a screwdriver in the flywheel teeth to keep it from rotating...easy enough.. not! I cant get to the upper nut holding the starter on. Houdini must have put this thing on. There is not enough clearance to get a ratchet on the nut and the starter is only two inches away from the frame so a regular box wrench won't fit either. So how did you get the top nut loose? Any suggestions would be appreciated. What was supposed to be a 4-5 hour job is going on two days.... Thanks

EvanMacaluso · Jan 25, 2009

Thanks Guys...don't have an impact wrench so i am stuck taking the starter off. I will have to get it off anyway to but damper back on anyway so might as well get the thing off there...;-)

mattman · Jan 25, 2009

I have used the starter to break the bolt loose that goes thru the balancer on other vehicles. The motor spins to the left while running, put a breaker bar on the bolt and rotate the engine around until the breaker bar rests against the frame or something else that will take a lot of impact to hurt. Tie the breaker bar up tight against frame with rope,duct tape whatever to hold it in that position. Make sure you have the breaker bar and socket secure from movement. Get out from under the vehicle and turn the engine over with the key. Just a bump your not trying to start the engine just get the motor to spin over a little ways. Do not try to hold the breaker bar and turn the engine over with the starter, the risk of breaking a hand is way to great.

EvanMacaluso · Jan 25, 2009

Ok Guys.... First let me say thanks for the advice... the 6", 3" extension trick worked like a champ. The down side is it was useless to get the starter off as there is nothing to wedge a screw driver against to lock up the fly wheel. The metal on the upper edge of the bell housing is paper thin and I nearly bent it all to **** trying to get a screwdriver lodged against it. I finally found a way to get the damper bolt loose but I have no idea how I am going to get it tightened back up.

Now for the fun part. I go to take the timing chain cover off "very carefully as to not damage the oil pan gasket"... who the **** are they trying to kid. The oil pan gasket was brittle as glass and all but welded to the cover.... So now I have to figure out how to get the oil pan down so I can replace the gasket. After some light reading in the trusty Haynes manual I learn that the only way to lower the oil pan is to raise the motor.... NICE!!!! I have know idea how much I am going to get charged for that but I am quite sure that a $10.00 investment in some JB Weld and good old fashioned pucky job would have probably fixed the coolant leaking from the timing chain cover.

Anyone interested in purchasing a 1998 Dodge truck? Light engine repair needed..;-)

mattman · Jan 25, 2009

For the oil pan to timing cover I would apply some rtv sealant and slap it back together. The oil pan removing cleaning old gasket off and putting oil pan back on is going to be a job. I would at least try the rtv before removing the oil pan. I think the rtv will do the job with alot less work.

Soundguy · Jan 25, 2009

Permatex ultra copper.... clean the old gasket off at the mating surface.. then spray with carb cleaner.. then apply so that the permatex hits the old gasket that you neatly cut to..

I'd at least try that.

Gasket makers are generally bandaids.. but occasionally work.

The metal tube going to my water pump that seals with an oring doesn't seal good.. new pump.. new oring.. still seeped.. I used rtv black on it.. never leaked again... go figure..

soundguy

EvanMacaluso · Jan 25, 2009

Ya, I thought of that but bot before attempting to drop the oil pan... I figured hey how hard could it be...a few bolts a new gasket and that is on less problem in the future... wasn't until I had it loose and had pulled off the majority of the old gasket that I realized it wouldn't drop all the way...... That is when I began my reading of the Haynes manual...

Just got a quote form a mechanic down the street for $150.00 to install the new gasket. Guess I don't have much choice. Still is cheaper than the $800.00 they wanted to charge me for the timing chain job. So I guess I learned a lesson. Read first and if they say something could go wrong expect it to. I am just glad the lesson didn't cost me more. I really do appreciate the feedback and the helpful advice.