I have to replace the starter in my car. I am a backyard mechanic with limited experience with my new car... Not only is everything packed in like sardines in a can but I cant find a diagram to even begin to know where to start!

 

The first thing is get a repair manual for your car..the starter is pretty easy to replace. The bad part is you'll have to work under the car (use jack stands) and it's fairly tight space to work in. Disconnect the Neg. Battery terminal, remove the cables from the starter, remove the 3 bolts from the starter.replace in reverse..have fun..

 

I recently changed out the starter on my 1999 Concorde LXI 3.2 engine and had a heck of a time doing it. The Haynes manual said on some motors you might have to remove the motor mount bracket to engine bolts and raise the engine a little to be able to get the starter rolled for access to the electrical connections.

After two calls to a mechanic friend, I ended up removing the motor mount bracket, the motor mount and oil filter to gain access to be able to get the nose cone out of the flywheel casing. (Old wires are too short and stiff to move starter far enough out to get nose cone out of the flywheel casing).

If I had to do it again, I would:
1. Remove the negative ground cable on top of the engine compartment
2. jack up and support the front of car on jack stands
3. With a block of wood and jack, support the engine at the left front of oil pan (to raise the engine after bracket bolts are removed)
4. Remove the oil filter (to allow bracket removal)
5. Remove the 3 motor mount bracket to engine bolts and raise engine enough to allow bracket to come off top of studs in next step.
6. Remove the nuts from the top studs on the motor mount bracket to motor mount and remove the bracket
7. Remove the nut on the bottom 2 studs of the motor mount and remove the motor mount
8. Remove the 3 bolts holding the starter into the flywheel housing and tilt the starter to gain access to the electrical connections

(Note, you may have to free up the starter to be able to get the bracket removed - I know I had it loose 1st before I had to seek help and had things so jammed up I was about ready to put the bolts in a box and ship it to the shop)

Installation is reverse - be careful with over stressing the sure lock connector as I broke the side out of mine when I let too much weight from the starter pull the connector side-ways.

These may be more steps than a professional with all the right tools and equipment would have to take, but you'll save about $250 in labor charges doing it yourself.

Take care and make sure the car and motor are well supported.

Hope this helps someone "Get er done!"

 

I did my 3.2 and it is one heck of a tight fit, requires loosening the motor mount (If I remember correct) for clearance to get it out. There is a metal 'gasket' that goes between the starter and bellhousing and I bent it when re-installing the starter, thinkiing it would straighten itself out. It didn't. The motor went tick tick tick, actually more like a tinny scrape scrape scrape, until it wore down the plate that was sticking up and the noise stopped. yeesh...

Lucky thing about chrysler starters is that typically just the copper contacts on the solenoid wear out (and won't engage the motor), and if you are handy, $5 and 20 min will repair it - as long as the local starter shop will sell you just these parts.