A well rounded polymath requires a well rounded education.
I replaced the starter motor on my '99 Mazda 626 (6 cyl) yesterday only to find that the car now starts like a champ, purrs like a kitten, and wont engage when put in gear. That the car is running at all after my completely amateurish repairs was cause for celebration last night. Alas, having the car move was the ultimate objective.
For anyone wishing to replace a starter motor on a Mazda (from ~'96-'02), it is mentioned on many websites that one must remove the manifold mount bracket which holds the intake manifold in place, and is attached to the engine block with two damnably placed bolts. My experience proved that this is not the case.
After exposing the knuckle of my right pinkie when the socket I was using to remove the upper bolt of the manifold mount bracket slipped, I discovered (in my particular case) that removing the manifold mount bracket was not only impossible, but unnecessary. I simply removed the starter motor from the transmission and rotated it so as to pull the motor out front first. I felt like a genius as the blood from my hand dripped onto my face and the ground beneath the car.
It is, however, necessary to remove the entire air intake assembly so you can reach the bolts that fasten the starter motor to the top of the transmission. Not to worry, though. These parts are plastic and rubber, and relatively forgiving compared to the rest of the job underneath the car.
I now have work to do tightening the shift linkages (also located underneath the car, beneath the shifter and above the exhaust system), but all that will have to wait until later today. I probably wont report back on this as it is banal compared to the rest of the job. My goal with this post was simply to record for posterity that one may actually remove a standard Mitsubishi starter motor from a 90s model Mazda 626 without removing the manifold mount bracket, though doing so (if you can) will make the job much more manageable.
Thanks for reading.
• This post was created with help from the Mazda626.net forum online. Another bbs message board full of useful information on a specific subject •
also, bones are shiny!
ReplyDeletepps the shift linkage is NOT under the car beneath the shiftbox above the exhaust. it feeds out from the firewall and loops directly to the top of the transmission. it may be reach from above when you lift up the hood. fyi and all.
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