Grrr, my starter took a dump!
 

I knew I needed to replace it soon, but not this soon. Lately it had been cranking really slowly and getting progressively worse. Josh from JS Performance had warned me that it was completely covered in oil and was gonna crap out on me. Well, yesterday I thought I could get a few more starts out of it.

Cranked it up in the morning. It was slow but it started.

Got some gas on the way to work. Painfully slow but started.

I figured if it could start one more time and get me back home, I could replace it over the weekend. Well, of course, it didn't start back up again. And, of course, I work in Atlantic City, a mere hour and a half from home. So I sucked it up and started walking to the nearest parts place (Auto Parts for Imports!) and they were closing. A really cool south jersey dude that worked there offered to give me a ride to Pep Boys (the only parts place that had any LT1/LT4 starter in stock at the store) so I was able to pick up a new starter.

My little brother drove down with tools to meet me at my job and we got to work in the parking lot. A few bloody knuckles, about 3 ounces of road grime in my eyes and an hour and a half later, we finished. All I can say is thank God for that PA K-member cuz I don't know how I would've gotten the old starter out with the stock K-member. The car started right up after that. Not the ideal conditions for working on the car but I'm glad it's over.

bah...lt1 starters are cake

Next time I'll call you. :moon:

the canton pan didnt make it any easier I am sure.. Sorry it let you down so far from home..

the same as a typical chevy starter? 2 bolts some wires and drop it?

Nah the pan didn't get in the way. It was the Y-pipe that made it tough to get it out. Plus I had to sneak into a nearby construction site and steal a pipe to slip over the ratchet to use as a breaker bar. The process of swapping it is simple. The circumstances made it tougher than usual.