How To: Need Advice in Removing 57 Buick Starter

[buick man]

OK. Has anyone out there extracted a starter from a dual exhaust 1957 Buick before? If so, does one have to remove the exhaust header from the manifold before you can get this long snout of a starter out of the bell housing?

If this is indeed what is necessary then in so doing it appears it will also be necessary to disconnect the header pipe from the inlet of the muffler so you can have enough flex room to bring the header back to the rear so it will clear the manifold bolts. But to do that I would also have to wire the muffler into a secure static position so it will not drop and cause strain on the components behind it. What a self-feeding chain-reaction pain maker!

Anyways .... let me know if you have done it and can remember how as I do not want to have to remove all of this unless absolutely necessary.

Thanks in advance

[61polara]

Yes, you do have to disconnect the exhaust pipe from the manifold. It doesn't have to move far. There should be enough movment with it disconnected only from the manifold. The exhaust hangers will support the pipe with no problem.

[buick man]

Thanks 61. However, the other day I removed the two nuts off of the exhaust manifold, then tried to gently pry back the header to the rear to get the flange off of the exhaust manifold bolts. Solid. It appears the entire exhaust setup aft of the header flange will at least need to have all the brackets loosened so movement is possible. If that does not work it appears I will have to support the port side muffler and disconnect it from the header feeding into the front of the muffler.

Just did not want to do this what with the possibility of breaking bolts. However my method has always been to soak with Blaster for a day or so, then come in with my matte gas/propane torch and heat the rig up. This usually always allows for free movement on previously frozen parts.

I will dive into this and report back as to what I need to do.

Thanks

[buick man]

Here's my summary advice for any future searchers:

I had to loosen all the exhaust system suspension clamps from front to rear in order to have enough movement room to properly remove my 1957 buick starter. Then I removed the front of main muffler rubber hanger from the frame. All of this allows one to pull back the entire assembly and also lower the front of the muffler/header down onto the frame. The starter can now have enough forward movement to clear the bell housing to be completely removed. Without doing the aforementioned steps the starter cannot be removed. The starter can be loosened by removing the 2 main bolts but it will not have enough forward movement to clear the bell housing without first allowing the free movement of the left side exhaust system.

Edited January 26, 2011 by buick man (see edit history)

[30 Hupp]

Good job getting it figured out, David!

[1957buickjim]

Wow! I guess having single exhaust on my 57 is a blessingin disguise here. R & R of the starter is a 5 - 10 min job. Thanks for the tips on the thread David. I was thinking of going the dual exhaust route, but now I may have to re-think that approach based on serviceability.

[buick man]

Well consider this. My car has sat since I believe 1970 in a garage and not outside. I sprayed Blaster on all the nuts and hangers a couple of days before. Then applied heat just before removing nuts. All I needed to do was loosen all of the clamps aft of the header so the pipe would slide back after removing the just one bolt on the front rubber hanger in front of the muffler intake so the pipe will drop down just enough to get the exhaust pipe flange to separate from the header flange.. It took maybe 15 minutes to loosen everything up so it is not that bad.

[1957buickjim]

That explanation sounds a lot easier than the initial post on the r&r of the system. I may go for that extra HP from the dual exhaust yet..

[Guest MARTINOS1]

gotta have duel exhaust on 57's...there too cool not to, no matter what hassles you run into, there welll worth it...

[buick man]

Yeah to that. The stock dually sound is one of the nicest tones you will hear. Especially when you are just idling along taking your time like a drive through a park.