the f@#%!&* starter motor top bolt!

[Bushbasher]

What a friggin' nightmare!
I've just spent 2 hours today fighting with the starter motor to get it changed on my Fairlane. The top bolt is all but impossible to get to with anything short of specialist tools just for the job. My 1/2" drive ratchet and extension was too big to get in what little space there is in front of the starter motor and the 3/8" drive extension was too short but even if I had an extension the right length I doubt a ratchet of any size would have room to crank with all the bl00dy hoses, pipes and manifold right there. I ended up having to jamb my ham fists up over the starter and blindly feel for the top bolt with a 13mm ringy made doubly hard by the fact I was flat on my back under the car which was on ramps. Cracking the bolt was bad enough but getting the thing done up again tight enough so it won't rattle out in a weeks time was just horrendous, talk about an exercise in frustration. So does anyone have a better solution to getting the top bolt out and in without wanting to throw your spanners as far as you can and then burn the car to the ground cos if you do I'd love to hear it for next time.


Bushbasher