Starter Replacement (Bolt Sizes)

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Tomkatohio

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Joined
Mar 16, 2020
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7
Location
Geneva Ohio
I've always wanted a Wrangler and recently I fell for a 2005 TJ Unlimited a couple of months ago. I've driven the Wrangler a couple hundred miles and just last weekend, it wouldn't start. I went through all of the checks and have determined it's a bad starter. I've got one of the bolts removed and the second (going from rear into the starter) is giving me difficulty. There's not much space to work since the exhaust pipe limits much rotation on a ratchet. I'm afraid of stripping the head on the bolt and just want to be sure I'm using the right size socket. It seems that a 15mm socket is fitting tightly. Are these bolts metric for sure?

I just want to be sure I don't get to the next level of a crisis where the head round off so no socket will work or I break the bolt! I'm in the NE Ohio snowbelt so rust is always an issue. I hope I don't regret this purchase.

Thanks for any help
 
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I just did this a few weeks ago. Not a lot of room and I was equally nervous and almost gave up due to fear or breaking the bolt. Most videos were saying 14 and 15mm bolts but I used a 14mm and a 9/16" sockets for a super snug fit. I really had to crank on the upper bolt but it finally came loose a quarter turn at a time. Some WD40 also helped.
 
can confirm it was a bitch to remove. rusted to shit and not a lot of room. try to get leverage using a makeshift wrench. i think I ended up locking a hammer on the other side of a wrench and put all my might into it. good luck
 
Thanks - I see you're both in the NE with winter road salt too! This doesn't sound like it's going to be easy. I'll get back once I give it a shot. I even looked at what it might take to remove the exhaust in the way but that probably won't be fun either!
 
SUCCESS! Got the bolt off and replaced the starter (AutoZone Duralast Gold). Wrangler started right up.
What it took to get that ####### bolt free: sprayed PB blaster on both ends for a couple of days. Today I heated the head with MAPP gas and sprayed more PB. I tried a 10" extension with a knuckle at the end of the socket connected to a small DeWalt impact that just managed to fit up between the exhaust and body. It rattled but I don't think had enough torque to bust the bolt loose. Heated and sprayed more PB. Connected a 1/2 drive ratchet to the end of the extension with a 16" piece of gas pipe on the handle. It took quite a pull. When it broke loose I first thought I stripped the head but it was turning. So relieved. The bolt head are 15mm. I think the starter was the original from 2005 - it has a Chrysler label on it. I think also someone else tried to replace the starter at one point. The points of the nut were a bit rounded. A 6-point socket is a must. Not sure how the picture will transfer but here's what finally worked. Thanks again for giving me confidence it could be done!

IMG_3801.JPG
 
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I should replace the bolts but I should have measured them while they were out. What I can find is they are both M10x1.5 but they were different lengths. Some diagrams are showing 30mm and 45mm. I'll measure and leave a note here for future reference.
 
The top flange bolt on my 2005 TJ Unlimited is M10X1.5X65. The bottom bolt is M10X1.5X45. Both have a 15mm head and are fully threaded.
 
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