Anyone Seen a Starter Body Break Before...? (1 Viewer)

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Started out to replace the starter contacts today and after the usual difficulties, got the intake manifold off, disconnected the started and found it absolutely froze solid to the block. Took a few good snacks with a rubber mallet to break it loose. The pictures below are what I found. It looks like the starter body was firmly corroded to the engine block and broke when I knocked it loose. Anyone seen this before? I'm assuming a whole new starter is in order...?

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Upon further review, it appears a significant portion of the starter body remains in the block...:vomit:
 
Upon further review, it appears a significant portion of the starter body remains in the block...:vomit:

I had this happen to me last summer with my 98 LX. Never seen anyone else with this issue. Broke in the exact same fashion replaced with a reman unit. I used every trick to get it out the only one that worked was using a drill and carefully making two cuts in the stuck ring so it would release. Don’t even bother with a torch.
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I had this happen to me last summer with my 98 LX. Never seen anyone else with this issue. Broke in the exact same fashion replaced with a reman unit. I used every trick to get it out the only one that worked was using a drill and carefully making two cuts in the stuck ring so it would release. Don’t even bother with a torch.
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I was thinking something along those lines. Does the broken piece go all the way through into the bell housing or is there a mating surface inside the block? (Hope that makes sense)
 
I was thinking something along those lines. Does the broken piece go all the way through into the bell housing or is there a mating surface inside the block? (Hope that makes sense)
If I remember correctly there is a little lip on the block got to be very careful not to cut into that once you get close to the end of the housing you can use a chisel and a hammer. Not ideal but I didn't have any issues with the truck after. Make sure none of the shavings go into the fly wheel housing though. Pretty simple just have to take percautions.
 
That looks that salt corrosion, chlorine and aluminum don't mix well. Especially if you have dissimilar metals involved.
It is surprising in that is a somewhat protected location. Have you been splashing through the surf at the ocean? :)
That type of corrosion would explain why the nose of the starter got welded to the engine block.
 
That looks that salt corrosion, chlorine and aluminum don't mix well. Especially if you have dissimilar metals involved.
It is surprising in that is a somewhat protected location. Have you been splashing through the surf at the ocean? :)
That type of corrosion would explain why the nose of the starter got welded to the engine block.

Nope! This truck was from southern KY and very clean. Not much rust at all.

If I remember correctly there is a little lip on the block got to be very careful not to cut into that once you get close to the end of the housing you can use a chisel and a hammer. Not ideal but I didn't have any issues with the truck after. Make sure none of the shavings go into the fly wheel housing though. Pretty simple just have to take percautions.

How did you get the broken piece to release once you made the cut? That's where I'm at now.
 
That looks that salt corrosion, chlorine and aluminum don't mix well. Especially if you have dissimilar metals involved.
It is surprising in that is a somewhat protected location. Have you been splashing through the surf at the ocean? :)
That type of corrosion would explain why the nose of the starter got welded to the engine block.
Our truck was a mall crawler for the whole time as well.
Nope! This truck was from southern KY and very clean. Not much rust at all.



How did you get the broken piece to release once you made the cut? That's where I'm at now.
I made two cuts into the ring and some taps w a chisel and it popped out. The second cut I only cut to a point where the ring was able to flex. Takes some forcing.
 
Looks like chlorine corrosion, maybe someone using a chlorine based cleaner on the engine?
 
spray some pb blaster in there, let it soak, use a dremel with a cutting disc to cut out a part of the stuck piece and it should pop out. it's okay to mar the tunnel a little, ain't gonna do anything bad.
 
Looks like chlorine corrosion, maybe someone using a chlorine based cleaner on the engine?
Seemed like to to me too, never had the engine cleaned asides from the cover. Hopefully this doesn’t become a common occurance. I know when it happened to me I thought I was royally screwed. Not to mention this was after three hours of sitting in my engine bay in 95 degree heat.
 
spray some pb blaster in there, let it soak, use a dremel with a cutting disc to cut out a part of the stuck piece and it should pop out. it's okay to mar the tunnel a little, ain't gonna do anything bad.
^^^ used a ton of penetrating oil. Probably the biggest hint to invest in a Dremel for me.
 
I’ve got. Starter from a part out of it helps. Probably need contacts put init also as good measure since it’s out.
 
Well gents, I finally got the broken ring out. The block looks no worse for the wear. Took drilling, Dremel-ing, hammering, cursing and praying. It's taken me 6 hours to get this far. If not for the broken starter neck, I'd probably be totally finished.

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So is that a cast aluminum housing into a cast iron bellhousing? Any possibility of condensation from an exhaust gasket leaking on to it?
 
So is that a cast aluminum housing into a cast iron bellhousing? Any possibility of condensation from an exhaust gasket leaking on to it?

Basically yes, but it mates with the block instead of bell housing. No, it's pretty well protected as it's in the V under the intake. I can only assume mine was stuck because the truck is 19 years old and has 203,000 miles on it. The starter appears to be the original.
 
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Basically yes, but it mates with the block instead of bell housing. No, it's pretty well protected as it's in the V under the intake. I can only assume mine was stuck because the truck is 19 years old and has 203,000 miles on it. The starter appears to be the original.

Man, that sucks. Glad you got it removed.
 
Never seen that before and I just did this job a couple of weeks ago. Get the area as clean as possible and maybe lay down some anti seize before putting the new starter in.
 
Wow feeling your pain man- what a terrible location to have to do any sort of fiddly labor intensive work for extended period of time. Cudo's for pulling that off. You'll may never need to replace starter again but incase you do, I'd put a thin coat of hi-temp ceramic grease to keep that from happening again (for the next guy).
 

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