XJ Diesel - Replace Starter Motor Instructions

[BillyOneMate]

Hi All,

My starter motor is on its way out, so I got the FSM and found below the instructions for replacing. Question is do i need to go through ALL of these steps, I've read some great posts on this forum about replacing it, and it sounds like a pig of a job, from everything i have read you do need to take the Engine Mount off, fair enough, but i still have a few questions for those who've done it, do you really have to:
(4) undo the steering shaft?
(9) remove the track bar support bracket?
(3) Also, i don't have a hoist, is this do-able on the drive at home without raising it?

Thanks

STARTER — RHD (DIESEL)
REMOVAL
(1) Disconnect the negative battery cable.
(2) Make sure steering wheel is in the unlocked
position.
(3) Raise the vehicle on a hoist.
(4) Rotate the front wheels to access and remove
the steering shaft pinch bolt, slide shaft straight off
gearbox input shaft and position steering shaft aside.
(5) Remove the turbocharger oil return line from
engine block and plug (Fig. 3).
(6) Remove the right engine mount through bolt
nut only (Fig. 3). Do not remove the bolt at this time.
(7) Remove the engine mount upper sill plate nuts.
(8. Position a jack stand and raise weight off right
engine mount.
(9) Remove the track bar support bracket retaining
bolts and remove bracket.
(10) Remove the remaining lower engine mount
bolt from the sill plate.
(11) Remove the (4) engine mount bracket bolts.
(12) Remove the engine mount throughbolt.
(13) Remove the engine mount and engine mount
bracket from the vehicle.
(14) Remove the starter motor support bracket.
CAUTION: Heatshield is very sharp. Wear gloves to
prevent injury.
(15) Remove the starter heat shield.
(16) Disconnect the starter motor electrical connectors.
(17) Remove the (3) stater motor retaining bolts.
(18. Remove the starter motor from the vehicle.

[layback40]

Dont need to touch steering shaft
Need to take out control arm.
Easy to do on your back under it.

[amlav]

Originally Posted by layback40

Dont need to touch steering shaft
Need to take out control arm.
Easy to do on your back under it.

Not sure about "Easy" ....Out of the 3 bolts holding the starter motor the top one is the hardest to get to...Took mine to a garage to have it replaced. Poor apprentice scratched his head and hands for 2 days on that job. Cost was just above $800 but more or less they followed the sugestions I give them in the fact that engine mount had to be removed to be able to undo the 3 bolts.

[DrewZ]

I removed mine a few months ago in my backyard on the dirt over a few nights after work.
It took me probably 6hrs + because the 3rd top bolt is so hard to get at. I had to try multiple combinations of different spanners and sockets to crack it. A spanner finally got it and used a ratcheting spanner to undo it.
It's in such an awkward spot to get at, but I did it from above.
I removed the heat shield from the starter motor, turbo down pipe and exhaust manifold, turbo oil return pipe only. Unbolted the clutch reservoir for some extra arm room.
Once the 3 bolts and heat shields are out of the way you can wiggle it out underneath without removing anything else, except the electrical connections.
It's just time consuming.

[layback40]

Originally Posted by amlav

Not sure about "Easy" ....Out of the 3 bolts holding the starter motor the top one is the hardest to get to...Took mine to a garage to have it replaced. Poor apprentice scratched his head and hands for 2 days on that job. Cost was just above $800 but more or less they followed the sugestions I give them in the fact that engine mount had to be removed to be able to undo the 3 bolts.

To undo the top bolt you use a socket extension arm with the correct sized socket on the end. You just go in from the other end of the starter on the top of the starter, move it around until you get the socket on the head of the torx bolt & then undo. Best loosen & get it out first before loosening the other 2.

[del97td]

spent new years eve doing mine again (jeep must have needed my company cos nothings f$%&"d for a while) have two starters that i clean up and alternate between (this time the solenoid died ) dont need to remove clutch reservoir cos you can just get your hand down the back to guide the socket on (you can leave that bolt out cos the starter has a nose bracket to support the front) just take top arm off and oil return hose and have a swear box handy for the heatshields ( youll get enough money for a set of tyres

[BillyOneMate]

Originally Posted by layback40

To undo the top bolt you use a socket extension arm with the correct sized socket on the end. You just go in from the other end of the starter on the top of the starter, move it around until you get the socket on the head of the torx bolt & then undo. Best loosen & get it out first before loosening the other 2.

@layback40 I assume you are suggesting to undo the 3rd bolt from below? Not above?