California Starter? 850Turbo Wagon

850TurboWagon1995 · Post by **850TurboWagon1995** » 18 Jan 2012, 08:14

Hi,
I am about to pull the starter out of my 95 850 Turbo wagon and I noticed at Autozone they have the California starter and the non-California starter. I dont know what emmissions have to do with a starter but those are my options. Has anyone replaced one of these and which did you purchase? Also...does this starter come out of the top or can be accessed through the top of the engine compartment? Seems so from what I've read. About to undertake this myself and dont have a lift. any help appreciated.

Thanks!

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 19 Jan 2012, 14:43

Welcome to MVS,

Like you, I have no idea what a California starter is unless it has different physical dimensions so as to clear some goofy California emissions device that is near it.

Changing the starter is not that big of a deal, remove the fan shroud and you should be able to reach in below the intake manifold and unbolt the old one and its wires. Much of this is done by feel rather than sight.

...Lee

850TurboWagon1995 · Post by **850TurboWagon1995** » 19 Jan 2012, 14:46

Thanks. I just tried to remove myself, bolts are locked....going to sell it instead of sinking money in it....just spent 460 on replacing cam and crank sensors. Great car at the end of its life though

Post by **jblackburn** » 19 Jan 2012, 17:27

Get a can of PB Blaster and give all the bolts a good soaking. No sense in getting rid of a running car over something as small as a starter motor.

The fan shroud will lift out of place and give you a lot more room to work on the starter. Just disconnect a few things and remember where they are.

850TurboWagon1995 · Post by **850TurboWagon1995** » 19 Jan 2012, 17:39

Shroud isnt the prob, but i hear you. Has 170k. Iles, lots of things starting to go wrong

850TurboWagon1995 · Post by **850TurboWagon1995** » 21 Jan 2012, 07:26

Thanks...still torn onkeeping it.

norcals95 · Post by **norcals95** » 21 Jan 2012, 08:43

850 turbo wagon and you're ditching it over a starter? You just need more leverage.

850TurboWagon1995 · Post by **850TurboWagon1995** » 21 Jan 2012, 09:13

Im not going to ditch it just for that. It has 170k on it and it is eating me up financially. Now low pressure boost, cuts out on me after driving a few hundred yards...maybe fuel filter? I dont know just running really rough

850TurboWagon1995 · Post by **850TurboWagon1995** » 22 Jan 2012, 06:59

Mission Accomplished! Seriously though, it might be easy on an 850 without a turbo but you have move a LOT of stuff to get to the bolts on the starter, especially where the transmission dip tube is bolted in with a bunch of cables directly in front of the lower starter bolt. Fan shroud did come out easy.

Another item to note is that i had gapped new spark plugs per some info on the website (not this one) INCORRECTLY and that I suspect was the cause of the poor performance....i just put the old ones back in and noticed immediate improvement. For others, the correct gap is .028.

Thanks Forum!

gilhuly · Post by **gilhuly** » 22 Jan 2012, 08:48

Good to hear. You remind me of my buddy I had to talk off the ledge at similar mileage. That was at least 2 yrs ago and that thing just keeps on going.