I just replaced my starter motor and found the three bolts holding it in place to be VERY tight. In fact one of the three is now stripped and one is broken off at the bell housing. There is not enough room to get a drill up in there to drill out the top bolt (broken bolt) and I don't have the option of tack welding the thing up there because there is a plastic spacer between the motor and the bell housing. We plow with this truck and are heavily depending on it right about now. Any ideas???? Has anyone ever heard of this happening??? I really don't want to pull the whole drive train because of this!!!! 2002 2500 HO 4X4 six speed

 

There should not be any spacer between the engine adapter and the block. Metal on metal there. Not sure what you are seeing. How far did it break off in the hole?

 

There is a plastic spacer between the bell housing and the starter assembly about 1/2 inch thick. It has metal sleeves in it for each of the three bolts. The one that broke is at the 12 oclock position and there is about 3/16 of it showing outside the bell housing. The strange thing is that the bolts were almost impossible to turn the whole way, not just in breaking them loose.

 

That spacer is removable. Should be aluminum, both of mine are. Don't remember the steel sleeves in them though. Either way, it comes out, and you should be able to get a nut on the bolt and weld it on.

Were the bolts a 10mm 12 point head on them? Wondering if someone lost a bolt or two and decided to jam something they could find in there instead of buying the proper bolts.

 

The spacer is black in color and appears to be either a hard plastic or graphite with three steel sleeves in it. It did have the correct M10 12 point bolts. There was less than 1/8" of exposed bolt outside the engine plate. Tonight we used a stud gun to weld a 3/8" stud onto the old bolt. It appeared that it was going to work but when I pulled the starter up tight it broke off. The weld did not break, just some of the old bolt and probably from the stress it experienced prior to it breaking initially. My next step is to try and drill it out with a 90 degree drill. Given that I will not be able to apply that much pressure I'm not confident that it's going to work. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I do not want to pull the fuc**ng drivetrain out to fix this!

 

Let two bolts hold it on. Many starters only have two bolts. Just a sugggestion and might get you out of a tight spot and let you make some money.. Check the threads with a metric tap to give you some relief on installing.

 

Sometimes a left hand drill bit will cause the bolt to back out. Sounds like something is wrong with the install. My bolts are at least grade 8. I had to use a jack on the wrench the first time to get them loose but the came out easy once they started. They also went back in easy. Chase the threads &/or replace the bolts when you get them out.

 

using your angle drill will work just fine.

Center punch the bolt, so that you don't wreck the housing, then line your drill up, and get is started. Once started, use a pry bar against some solid object, and against the back of the angle drive, effectively turning it into a drill press of sorts, slow drill, steady pressure, and you'll walk through that bolt in no time. Then, hit it with some 12/34 penetrating oil, and walk away for a few minutes. After which time, use a torch, preferably propane and small, to heat the cored out bolt. Hit it with some more penetrating oil, then tap your extractor in there, and back the bolt out.

Been down this road too many times to imagine, in too many bad spots.

Patience