Starter motor bolt mystery

[milty60]

Replaced the starter motor on my son’s car over the weekend – its never been replaced looks like original Suby starter.  Came out fairly easy – top and bottom bolt needed some muscle to break free but not bad. Top bolt has 2 washers and a lock washer and a bracket that the ground cable attaches to. I finger tightened the top and bottom bolt. When I used the ratchet on the top bolt as it became tight I could hear and feel  …  I’ll call it a skip and a click – it would not tighten beyond this point … ground bracket still loose – I said to my son oh S*it now it needs to be drilled out and heli-coiled in a very tough spot to do this – probably need to tow to a machine shop. I took the bolt out and at the very bottom could see for just about a quarter-inch – metal threads surrounding the bolt – bolt undamaged - unscrewed thread from bolt – assume this is the internal threads in the mount that were broken free – somehow? So, I said it seems like a lot of washers on this mounting bolt – I  removed the thickest one and said hopefully the bolt will go in a bit deeper and catch some good thread – thank the Subaru Gods – it did – tightened up nice – I’ve rechecked it a few days after long runs with the car to get it up to temp so motor etc can shrink/expand – no issues. I can’t believe I would have stripped or cross-threaded the hole – was it just time to for the bolt hole to loose threads? The manual tranny was replaced 6 months back by neighborhood DIYer I think this bolt is one of the bolts that mounts tranny to the engine but I need to look closer – did the DIT guys over tighten the bolt then? Thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Milty

09 Forester manual 250K 

[lmdew]

Sounds like the wrong bolt in the Starter position when he changed the transmission.

Single washer, ground bracket, starter, trans and into the block.  

You could pull the bolt from the yard if you have a self serve yard near you.

[Numbchux]

I agree that it wasn't the right bolt.

[nvu]

Too many washers, the bolt was only catching 3-4 threads.  Steel bolt wins vs 4 threads of aluminum.  If it's any consolation, old subies only used one starter bolt to hold things together.  If you still have the other good bolt on it there's no worry.

[milty60]

 

Sounds right - wrong bolt. 

Actually, when I removed a couple of washers the bolt tightened to my comfort level - its been holding tight since starter motor install. 

Thanks, 

Milty 

[Numbchux]

On 1/28/2020 at 1:27 PM, nvu said:

If it's any consolation, old subies only used one starter bolt to hold things together.  If you still have the other good bolt on it there's no worry.

 

Which ones were that? Not in the last 40 years.

 

I know of plenty of people running 8-bolt transmissions with 4-bolt engines that leave the lower starter bolt out....but you couldn't pay me to do that on a car I had to rely on.

[nvu]

4 bolt transmissions used one bolt for starter, other hole was a pin instead of a bolt. 

for his case, he had a strong bolt and a bolt in a semi stripped hole.  about the same as the old 4 bolt design which is good enough

[Numbchux]

On 2/1/2020 at 12:06 AM, nvu said:

4 bolt transmissions used one bolt for starter, other hole was a pin instead of a bolt. 

for his case, he had a strong bolt and a bolt in a semi stripped hole.  about the same as the old 4 bolt design which is good enough

Other hole is a stud, with a nut on it. not a pin

[nvu]

3 hours ago, Numbchux said:

Other hole is a stud, with a nut on it. not a pin

Welp, you're right, just checked on a 4 bolt and felt the nut.  I've worked on cars with a pin and a bolt starter and gotten them mixed up; memory's been spotty lately.