How to replace the starter on a GM 2.2L Ecotec engine in Cobalt, Cavalier, HHR, Malibu and more

     The starter on GM's 2.2L Ecotec engine is more difficult than most to remove, owing to a hard-to- access upper mounting bolt. This post applies to many small GM cars such as the Cavalier, Cobalt, HHR, Malibu, Alero, Grand Am, Sunfire, Saturn L series and Ion and some Opel and Vauxhall cars.  I posted this tutorial with the hope of  helping the home mechanic in performing this frustrating job.
This post features a 2006 Chevy Cobalt.

                                                        The job at a glance

• Tools: floor or other jack, jack stands or wood supports, 8mm deepwell socket, 13mm socket (1/4" drive) 15mm socket and 3/8 or 1/2" ratchet, 3 and 6" extension bar 
• Materials: none
• Parts: Starter  
• Cost of parts: Starter $85- $130
• Time: 1-2 hours

Removal

1) Remove the large plastic engine cover to get a better view of the position of the upper bolt. Pull the cover free of the two ball headed posts, one at the extreme left of the cover and the other near the dipstick at the lower front. 

2) Jack up the front of the car. I used a floor jack on the front tubular cross member, with a  three foot long two by four to spread the weight of the car more evenly. Set it down on some jack stands or wood supports. 

3) Disconnect the battery with a 10mm wrench or socket. It is in the trunk. 

4) Unwire the starter. There are two connections to unwire. The small 8mm nut is the solenoid control signal and the larger 13mm uppermost is the battery plus connection.

Remove these two nuts to unwire. GM left the starter studs unprotected from the elements. 

5) Break the lower 15mm mounting bolt loose.This is the easy one. The upper bolt will more than make up for it though. 

6) Break the upper 15mm mounting bolt loose and then remove. This is the toughie. Use a three or six inch extension bar and a deep well socket fed from underneath. To find the bolt, have the socket and extension close to the engine and just probe until it seats on the bolt head. This may take a try or three. It may help to check the fit from above as the bolt head is just visable from up there in just the right light and angle.

At last, we're on the bolt. Note position of tools relative to starter and engine. 

7) Completely remove the lower starter mounting bolt.

8) Remove the starter. Mine was corroded in place. I used a large screwdriver wedged between the right end of the solenoid and the transmission to force it apart from the transmission.

There's the hole for the upper bolt

Installation

1) Affix the upper starter mounting bolt to the deep well socket. I used a piece of paperboard around the bolt head and then jammed the socket on it. This serves to hold the bolt to the socket so they don't fall apart during install. That would be very frustrating. Use a three inch extension with the deep well. Hold the bolt and tools in the upper mounting hole in the new starter as you place it in position. 

Start the upper bolt first if possible or at least hold it in place until the lower bolt is turned in to hold the starter up.

The socket and bolt are like one part going in

2) Tighten both bolts. Precision torque is not critical on a starter. 

3) Rewire the electrical connections. 

4) Remove the stands and lower the car. 

5) Install the engine cover. 

6) Connect the battery.

7) Test.

                                   

Replacing the crankshaft front oil seal on a GM 2.2L Ecotec engine in a Cavalier, Cobalt, HHR, Malibu, Grand Am, Sunfire and more

     When this seal gave way on a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier with GM's 2.2L Ecotec engine, the leak was huge. If it's a big leak and it seems to be coming from the front (belt end) of the engine, the crankshaft front seal is the major culprit. The serpentine belt will tend to become oil soaked and throw the oil all over the bottom of the engine, so the drips will seem to be everywhere.  This repair is simple, relative to many other vehicles. It can be fixed in just a few hours. Other GM cars with this engine are the Cobalt, HHR, Malibu, Alero, Grand Am, Sunfire, Saturn L series and Ion, a well as some Opel and Vauxhall cars

                                                      The Repair Basics                                       

• Safety: Safety glasses, gloves. 
• Tools: A hydraulic or scissors jack, jack stands or substantial wood supports, 19,21 and 7 mm sockets, a 24 inch breaker bar, 3/8 and 1/2" ratchets, a pry bar or other sprocket holding tool, a small seal prying tool 
•  Parts and materials: Crankshaft front oil seal (Fel pro TCS 46112), new crankshaft pulley bolt, serpentine belt (if needed), rags, engine degreaser, grease, oil. .
•  Cost of materials: Seal $7.50 (Napa), pulley bolt $7 (GM), Serpentine belt $21 (Napa) , consumables $4.00. Total $31.50  
•  Shop labor cost for the job: $100 
•  Home mechanic estimated time: 2-3 hours   

Dis-assembly

1) Break the 19mm lug nuts on the right front tire

2) Jack up the front of the car and place on stands. Used two RR ties behind the wheel

3) Remove the right front wheel

4) Remove the right front wheel well cover. This is a complicated cover and will take awhile to get off. It is held on by 8 or ten 7mm hex screws. The topmost one is shorter. Two panel fasteners must also be removed, one by the horn in front and one way low behind the wheel. Two wires are also clipped to it, one in the front by the horn and the other along the bottom, clipped on in three places.

5) Disconnect the battery.

6) Remove the serpentine belt by moving the tensioner upward to release tension on the belt. Use a 3/8” square bar as found on a ratchet in the square hole in the tensioner arm.

7) Remove the crank bolt with a 21mm socket and 24 inch breaker bar. Jam a pry bar or other bar in an opening in the pulley and against a solid part of the car to keep the pulley (harmonic balancer) from turning.

Jam a pry bar in a spoke of the crank pulley and turn counter-clockwise

8) Remove the crank pulley. Mine slipped right off. It may be necessary to use a puller. There are three holes for a puller to be attached on the pulley.

9) Remove the bad seal. This one comes out by prying along the underside. I used a six inch long prying tool and it came out easily.

An ordinary prying tool will remove this seal

10) Thoroughly clean the belt path. An engine degreaser  and plenty of rags will help here.

Re-assembly

1) Install the new seal by pressing it in carefully. Put some grease on both sealing surfaces.  I used a 2” (OD) piece of pvc to push the seal on.

2) Re-mount the crankshaft pulley. Line up the key slot with the key in the crankshaft and seat the pulley.

3) Install a new crank shaft pulley bolt and torque to 74 foot pounds plus and additional 75 degrees of rotation. A pry bar must be inserted into the spokes of the pulley to prevent turning in the clockwise direction. This works best with two people, one holding the pry bar and the other with the torque wrench.

4) Install the serpentine belt. It runs around the outside of the alternator and AC compressor and crank pulley and then under the tensioner.

Using a 3/8" ratchet to release tension and seat the belt

5) Put the wheel well cover back on

6) Mount the wheel and just snug up the lug nuts.

7) Raise enough to remove the stand and then lower to the ground

8) Re connect the battery

9) Torque the lug nuts and test the car for leaks.