'87 eta starter help PLEASE!

[aschroeder92]

I'm looking at buying my first E30, but I have no access to a car trailer/dolly to tow the car home, and the seller says that the starter needs to be replaced, but it involves taking off the transmission cross member to gain access to one bolt on the starter. Phew. So my question to you guys is: What exactly is involved with replacing the starter on an '87 325e, as I have heard multiple different ways of doing it. Basically, I'm trying to figure out whether or not I could do this job in the parking lot where the car is now, or if I would have to rent a car trailer from somewhere local and tow the car home.

[ethree]

Just pop start it and drive it to your home/garage/mechanic then change the starter. If it's an 87 auto e don't buy it.

[aschroeder92]

Pop start? Me no understand. The only problem with that is that it will be a three hour drive home.... :(

[dashboardmonkey]

Roll car in a forward motion with clutch pedal depressed and gearbox in second gear, once you get moving about 5mph let out the clutch pedal. Oh yeah you need the key in the on position as well.

As far as your 3 hour drive......don't shut it off.

Starters on these cars are a pain in the ass to replace, good luck!

[SpecM]

I've replaced the starter in the parking lot at my work once. I jacked up the frame, and slid the spare tire under the oil pan, and lower the frame. This pushed the front of the drivetrain up enough to reach the top bolt (with some difficulty still!). No "taking off" of the tranny crossmember needed, although I see how it might be helpful to loosen it...

There are just two bolts that hold the starter on, sans electrical connections. After removing the air intake ducts and such, loosen the two nuts (the lower one you can't see, but its not that bad to reach). The top one has the firewall and heater hoses all-kinds of in the way. You will need some inverted ("E" style) torx sockets to turn (or hold still) the backsides of the bolts. It helps if you have three hands, or a willing friend, as half the work is above the car and half is below.

good luck