robert -wanda fox

on my 92 crown victoria,i am having no luck in getting the starter off,if
this is a three bolt starter,i can't even see or touch the third bolt,how on
earth can this upper top bolt be removed??

tom adkins

It's 3 bolts, there is one in the "crotch" between the starter motor and solenoid
toward the block. You will need about 2 1/2 feet of extension and a 13mm swivel
socket. If you use a swivel adaptor, wrap electrical tape around the adaptor to
stiffen it. Be sure to use ONLY a 6 point socket. Go from ahead of the crossmember,
above or below the engine mount (I don't remember which. It's "almost" a straight
shot. To reinstall the bolt, run the socket and extension(s) over the crossmember to
near the starter, put the bolt into the socket with a blob of something sticky like
strip-caulk to hold it in the socket and thread it in with the socket.
If you are coordinated, you can hold the bolt in the socket with your finger and
guide it in sliding your hand over the solenoid.
I used to have a link to a tech article that showed pictures of this procedure but I
can't find it. Do a Google search for Crown Victoria Starter Bolt. You will probably
get a number of hits.
Tom

lugnut

Like Tom said, it is 3 bolts. Follow his instructions. It
is a bit of a bitch even if you've done it before. BTW, I
ran across one a while back that had 8mm heads on the bolts.
So, don't be surprised. Also, when you reinstall the
starter, be sure the spade connector to the solenoid is
clean and tight. It needs to be squeezed to release it.
Packing it good with dielectric grease or terminal grease
will help reduce it's tendency to corrode causing no start
events. If this is the reason you are removing the starter,
you may save a lot of work by checking this first.

Good luck
Lugnut