Where is the starter located a 2004 Solara V6

[blizown1]

Anyone know exactly where the starter is located? My starter is in the process of taking a crap and I need to know where its located so I can change it. Has anyone changed it themselves? How hard it is? My car has 50K on it and the starter is already crapping out. This doesn't make any sence for a toyota with 50K on it. Unfortunatly its no longer under warrenty. Teh stealership wants over $500.00 to change it. I can get a starter for $250.00 so I might as well do it my self and save my self $250-300.00 bucks.

Thanks,

[Sebas007]

Follow your positive battery wire...it will end up on your starter.

[blizown1]

Sebas007,

Thanks for the quick reply....I'll give that a try!

Anyone have to change theirs this soon? Is this common?

[SolarBoy]

According to the service manual, it appears to be under the exhaust manifold on both the 4 and 6 cylinder.

[blizown1]

So I assume all I have to do is to remove the plastic debris shield under the car and just pop the 10 LB starter of and on?

[SolarBoy]

I would read the service manual, it seems a bit more involved than that. You can download the manual here:

http://www.gadgetjq.com/solara/maintenance.htm

[Sebas007]

Follow your positive battery wire...it will end up on your starter.

Give it a try, you'll see it

[SolarBoy]

I just went out to look at my car, and there are a lot of obstacles in the way if you decide to go from underneath the car. If you decide to go from the top, you have to remove the air intake system. It looks like it would be easier from the top.

[blizown1]

Ok I tried to follow the battery cable....Yeah rite! You have to remove a lot of stuff to follow it. Not gonna do that route. Actully I cleaned the positive connector with some Coke a Cola and the problem is gone. Ironically it was a matter of making a good positive connection. I sanded the positive connector down on the inside a little and used coke to remove the corrosion from it. (when I got the solara it had a battery that you needed to add water to. I noticed that my center console lights are brighter and I havent had a starter problem since. I looked in a Toyota service manual at autozone and it suggested that I look at the positive connector first. I did'nt have to waste $20 on the manual...and problem is resolved. I would have never figured that the starter was not getting enough juice to start the whip. Thanks for everyones replys. It looks like a hell of a job to change anyway. The manual said to remove part of the cruise control. a brace of some sort and misc other crap.