Stupid question, did he nuke the starter?

1976 Buick Skyhawk (a V6 Monza) ~70k miles, 231 oddfire Buick V6, original starter, reviving from winter storage, i.e. cranking and squirting gas down the carb until it runs on it's own again. The usual spark plug change and spinning engine plugs out to blow the fogging oil out was performed. Owner cranking, me working the carb, I had it going pretty good then it quit on us, then the starter wouldn't work, usually clicks, sometimes clacks, turns out owner screwed up and neglected to let off the key when it caught and went up to 2500rpm or so for 30+ seconds. In his defense it was the end of a long day for him.

Engine does turn over by hand fine. we haven't dropped the dust shield or anything yet, ran out of daylight. Probably buying a new starter regardless since they're like $50 and this car always cranked slow. My best guess is he seized the starter motor.

EDIT: Also, of parts store reman starters, Advance (carquest) or Oreilly? Also any advice on installation would be appreciated, I know shims are involved.

id guess it killed it, i know the one in the 86 toyota i learned to drive in went up quick when the key stuck on. didnt even back out of my driveway before catching it and it was nuked.

Hot battery and all connections .

A '76 GM product with a 40 YO original starter? Why are we even discussing this, it was just time for it to go. I'm sure spinning it that hard didn't help it, but since it was cranking slowly, it was on borrowed time already.

If you have a local starter and alternator place, I'd go there instead of a normal parts store.

Anybody ever done one of these? It would appear we at least have to drop the Y pipe to muscle the starter out. Chilton's says it just comes out on the V6, FSM pretty much just says to do whatever it takes.

I had a 8v Monza it was not fun the whole exhaust system had to come off as well as the motor mounts pulled so the engine could be lifted just a bit... Miss that car it was my 1st engine swap and I had so much fun roasting the tires... No idea on a 76

In reply to 44Dwarf:

Chilton manual says for the V8 you have to drop the Y pipe and the trans cross member to pivot the engine/trans down, far enough the cooler lines have to be unhooked. This is somewhere between ULTRA-VIOLENCE and NIGHTMARE! mode by 70s American car standards.

if you have to keep dumping gas in the carb to keep it running, then pick up a fuel pump and some fresh new hoses while you are at the parts store getting the starter..

In reply to novaderrik:

The car is parked outdoors and thus well winterized, it takes some fiddling to burn off the fogging oil and the 2 stroke oil in the carb. This is one of the first GM cars with an electric pump BTW, only one short chunk of fuel hose in the engine bay and it's a fresh one. The reman Oreilly sold him was the high torque version, so minor score there.

What is this "winterized" of which you speak? My cars just get parked, shut off, and the battery placed in my basement in the fall.. they always start right up and run when I start them 3-6 months later.

For posterity's sake:

How to remove starter from GM H Body (Monza, Skyhawk, etc.) with 231 V6:

1. Disconnect battery

2. Remove Y Pipe.

3. Remove flexplate shield

4. Remove starter bolts and try to figure out how to drop the berkeleyer out for a while, give up.

5. Remove PS exhaust manifold, both because you snapped the studs off getting the y pipe out, and it needs to come out.

6. Remove starter heat shield.

7. Disconnect starter wiring.

8. Try to pull starter out through top (there's certainly enough room for it), it will now magically fall out the bottom.

9. Buy a mini starter (231 takes a standard 153 tooth Chevy starter) so you never have to do this again.

On installation, be sure to install the (fiberglass, be careful!) insulated choke heater tube BEFORE bolting the manifold on. Otherwise you'll have to remove the manifold twice and mess up a nicely applied coat of Permatex Ultra Copper.

My first car was a 1980 Sunbird with the 231 V6. That car is where I learned to do my own wrenching. The starter job was one of the first things I tackled and failed at.

Ended up taking it to the K-Mart Auto Center (anybody remember those?) I supplied the part and they installed the starter for $82 labor. That poor tech that had to do that job......