Request for help with m42 starter removal / output shaft concern

[Simon S]

In process of transmission removal (clutch replacement) on 318is.. (first time for me)
All bell housing bolts/nuts removed (including bell house/starter fasteners).
Floor jack supporting gearbox from below.
I can slide the gearbox back about half an inch back – but then it catches on what I suspect to be the starter pinion gear – so yeah, I need to get that starter loose..

Where in holy hell is that last fastener I’m looking for? (can’t seem to find it)
I did searches and read where some have ‘rotated’ the transmission in order to access the mystery fastener..
I’m afraid of having the tranny hang on by the output shaft while I wrestle with it.

Is it OK for the tranny to hang on the output shaft while it’s rotated?

Any/all help greatly appreciated.

-Simon

[Hick]

there is a 10mm bolt on the pass side holding a metal stamped spash guard to the bell housing.

it can hang on the input shaft, assuming thats what you mean. output is from the trans to driveshaft

[Simon S]

there is a 10mm bolt on the pass side holding a metal stamped spash guard to the bell housing.

that one's out.

it can hang on the input shaft, assuming thats what you mean. output is from the trans to driveshaft

yep - my bad there. you're right. OK, cool. I'm gonna give it another shot..

[Simon S]

Ended up that the starter was pretty stuck on its locator pin/dowel.
Rotating the gearbox left and right on the input shaft did help break the starter loose – then it was a matter of rocking the starter unit back and forth by hand (~45 minutes) before it finally wiggled off.

I had a big smile on my face when the transmission was resting on my chest..


Note: replacing an e30 starter is one. holy. bitch. Definitely consider getting it over-with when replacing a clutch and/or addressing m42 “spaghetti-coolant-hose-mess” under intake manifold. That shit is up in there!

[FredK]

SUCCESS!

Yeah, that starter is nearly inaccessible by hand. I've only removed a transmission from under the car once, all other times I've mated and unmated them outside of the car.

The time that I did remove it from underneath, I used a 2 foot 3/8 extension with a pin punch and hammered at the alignment dowel until the starter broke free.