I just completed this. Could do everything under the vehicle, but had to raise a little high on Jack stands to be able to get a breaker bar on that 17mm bolt. Definitely needed a deep socket on the back 14mm bolt! That was a must. Used a 1 and 1/16 open-ended wrench for the knock sensor. Also, when putting the new starter back on, put the back bolt just a bit in its hole on the starter and tape the head to the side of the unit so you can have it in place when you put the starter back in. It’s nearly impossible to have any room to maneuver the bolt in after you set the starter in. This was a HUGE time saver. This video was really helpful. I started the car before putting the bracket for the intake manifold like Eric said. It started up like a new car! Then put the splash shield back and all is well again! Hope this helps.
I always love watching other people struggle with those K series starters. Over my 12 years of being a Honda/Acura tech and doing these starters about twice a week, I will tell you that I hate struggling. It takes less time move the intake out of the way than to struggle with those two bastard bolts. I’ve even had long half inch fine tooth ratchets to break those bolts loose. You were lucky they actually cracked that easy. Good video Eric!
I'm 64 and out in the driveway, it was determined that I would probably work from both bottom and top. It was hard to get leverage under there. Thanks.
Great video Eric. It's thanks to people like you that a person like me has the confidence to even attempt a job like this. Watching your videos over the last 5 years has given me the confidence to do most of my own auto repair.
Thanks Eric. I just replaced the starter on my wife's 06 crv. It was configured just a little differently but same process. 27mm to remove the knock sensor helped a lot with access to the 14mm bolt that you can't see. Glad I didn't go the route of removing the intake manifold. But I have a lift and wouldn't want to go from underneath if I was on the ground doing this job. Took me 1.5 hours. Most helpful tool was a claw pick-up tool for all the times my 14mm fell of and got wedged between the starter and engine!
I remember back when I had my Element there was always someone on the forums who claimed they could replace their starter without removing the manifold but there was never any evidence. You have provided proof that it can be done! Thank you.
I found taking out the knock sensor can help people struggling to get the top 14mm or sliding the starter out. A 27 mm wrench usually works to loosen the sensor. This also helps prevent damaging the sensor as its made of cheese grade plastic.
Just changed my starter about three weeks ago on Acura tsx, k series, this video would have set me up easier but even taking off the front manifold, I was able to complete the job less then an hour. Underneath would have been easier. Just like you, that front starter bolt is over tighten so much, that was the most challenging part of it all with little room to use a ratchet. Great video
Your presentation was excellent, with a number of very good pointers and insights along the way. However...I just changed out the starter on my granddaughter's new (to her) 2008 Accord, a job I initially attempted without any reference to the internet since I figured my more than 50 years of auto repair experience would make it a pretty straightforward job. (Note: This is only the second Honda I have ever worked on, and my previous experience was limited to repairing a faulty driver's side lock cylinder.) I began by disconnecting the battery, jacking the car up, supporting it on jack stands, and removing the engine undercover, assuming that the starter would then be easy to locate and remove-WRONG! I couldn't even see the starter. At this point it became obvious that the starter was tucked inside the intake manifold runners, and I turned to the internet for guidance. The first two videos I found called for removing the intake manifold, and although the quality of the specific methods and narration in the videos was mediocre at best, I could see my path forward. If the car had been on a lift where I could stand under it rather than sitting on jack stands while I laid on my driveway flat on my back with the underside of the car a few inches above my face, I might consider utilizing the method you used. However, I found that removing the intake manifold was not particularly difficult, and it avoids removing a number of old, brittle, hard-to-access electrical connectors that very well might have broken when I tried to unfasten them. Had that happened, I'd have had to remove the intake manifold anyway and spent extra time and money on new connectors and possibly new sensors. To each his own, but I'm with the Honda tech who recommended removing the intake manifold which in my opinion made the job a relatively straightforward one.
Yeah I'm in the middle wife's '09 Civic now. Just got starter out, so far no broken connectors and no broken long bolt. The most insane thing I think I have seen. Furthermore, I have heard they haven't changed the design as of 2019 so I'm switching to Toyota after this and after hearing about the possibility the 8th engine block could crack(1950's called and want their problems back) Eric said once they started to focus on other things like building jets etc Honda lost their focus and did these kinds of thing.
Hi, I follow this video and got my elements starter changed. I do recommend this video to who want to do their starter but I wont say this is easy. The intake manafold one is even more ass hole so this is the minimal. You may not need the power ratchat, but a small 1/4" ratchet for the 14mm at the back really helps. I have a 3/8" so I end up need to finger it out and finger it in. I remove the 14mm in 4 hours, and the rest is relatively smooth. Yes, Just want to thank Eric and remind others to follow closely. It works.
05 Accord and for me the 17mm was truly a pain. Changing it in a parking lot from above. Without a fine tooth ratchet. Ended up using a swivel and extension. Nice to hear others had no problems.
Eric, Thank you so much for the great productions you've been putting out. I just completed this starter swap, following your method, and it worked flawlessly. I followed your preference for the denzo, however the plastic slot that host the terminal block on the starter did not mate with my 2005 Element, I ended up having to shave some of the plastic away with a rotary tool. I earned myself a flex head ratchet from this job, and am grateful for your work! I can see this method being troublesome for a bigger guy. I did this job with wheels on the ground, and I was almost at my limits for my hand size being small enough, I'm 6 ft 215lbs. The video was priceless for setting me up to do this job in one go. I was able to borrow extensions, pick up the one tool I needed, and follow step by step to completion. I'm picking up myself some T-shirts in Thanks. Charles
What a timely video! My reman Denso starter came in 2 days ago and I will change it out on my '05 Element tomorrow. Saw this trick done on other videos and wondered why you havent made a video yet...... you rock!
Thanks for the video Eric, glad I was able to tackle this myself on my GF's 2006 Element. I ended up taking the bottom approach shown here, but I had a bugger of a time getting to that top bolt. Like Eric said, you're "seeing with your hands" on that top bolt. I only have a set of drive up ramps, so I didn't have the luxury of being able to reach straight up towards the starter. Even with average sized "man hands", (YES THAT'S A SEINFELD REFERENCE, I found it to be very close quarters. It's definitely a job where I appreciated having a Milwaukee power ratchet like Eric's, which I bought just for this project. In hindsight, I think I would've been a bit easier had I removed the knock sensor completely. Thanks again to Eric for sharing his wealth of knowledge. I will definitely be subscribing to this channel for future updates.
I replaced my starter from below, months before seeing this video, in a third-generation CR-V. Two things held me up. First was pulling the starter out of the cavity--I had to get a little forceful to work against the force of the wires, but it all worked out fine. I did disconnect that sensor since I could see me snapping it off, as my luck usually runs. Second, installing that rear bolt was an issue. Getting it out was simple. But for the life of me, I could not locate the hole in which to fasten the bolt, no matter how much I fished around with it. But I did a little trick that made it so much easier--I taped the bolt to the side of the starter lightly with painter's masking tape, with the bolt already in the mounting hole but not protruding out the opposite side. Once I remounted the starter and fastened the front bolt, it took me all of 30 seconds to push the rear bolt in, unfasten the tape and snug it up. I also found that a deep well socket was perfect on that rear bolt, since the hex head could drift inside the socket and I could keep the ratchet at the same location. Looking at the Honda service manual, page 4-9, they show the starter is removed from underneath. Nothing about removing the intake. We're looking at buying a TSX, and with the tighter packaging under the hood, I would probably have to remove the intake to get to it.
I will say that removing the Knock Sensor would probably make this job a LOT easier. If it were out then you could use an extension on that socket and I think it would make that rear bolt a lot easier to deal with. I found that when I ratcheted it out far enough, It would hit the knock sensor and not come out any further. So I ended up having run it back in a bit, get the socket off of it and contort my hand back in there and two finger it out a 1/8th turn at a time... Otherwise this method worked great. You must be patient to do it this way though as You will be frustrated a time or two. Great video as Usual Eric!
Thanks for the video. I am replacing this on a 2008 CRV tomorrow. Great tip on using the hose pliers to disconnect the wire to the knock sensor. I will remove the knock sensor for more clearance.
Welcome back Eric. Your videos helped me a lot on my 98 gmc jimmy. So you can imagine how far back I been following you. Although I had to work in pouring rain at 3 in the am most of the time. Your videos helped me get back to work the next day. Been following you for a while now. Glad to see your back.
hi eric I saw your channel from sma that gathering you had....its what you said....the biggest thing to me is helping someone out....that told me so much...iam a ase master tech on the job 30 years god time flies....was at chevy 20 now independent and the most important thing is... I truly live by... is fix it right then pay later nice to meet you eric dave
Very informative. Thanks, I was convinced that this job was going to require me to pop the manifold and may or may not have been doing my best “back in my day” impression. As in, back in my day you you just take the starter out the bottom on your back, under the car in your driveway.
@ericthecarguy I did this earlier today on my rsx - s with a K24 and pulled it out the bottom, super super easy. I moved the power steering pump out of the way and with some long extensions I reached the 2 bolts through the side and pulled it out the bottom, now just waiting on my replacement part!Thanks for the tips, Eric! Love your videos and humor.
You deh man Eric! Thanks for all your help with my 2005 element issues. I can't even count how many projects I have used your videos for. Thanks bro. Keep it up!
Eric all I can say after joining you back when you had that old small shop/garage is I still love the channel and love the Fairmont ride / build . Thanks for bringing me along and looking forward to a lot more good content.
I did this 3 days ago.... Mate! What a PAIN to remove and intall the long bolt in the back. In my care was the K24Z1 engine in a 2011 CR-V. Less space than in this video to remove the starter... But finally with patience and resting my arms 3 times it was done
I have not had the best luck with Densco starters recently; 4 failures in just over a year and 5k miles on several different cars using Delco now , very happy.
I just did this on my wife's '09 CR-V today, and while it involved fewer steps than doing it from top, I didn't find it nearly as easy as I'd hoped. I have small hands and twisting myself into a pretzel, it took me ages to get a socket on that rear starter bolt. I knew it was going to be tricky when I saw you struggle with it for :05 of screen time. When I did get it on, it didn't want to break free using the weak-sauce wrench I was using. So I had to remove the wrench and use my torque wrench as a breaker bar (against my better judgement) to break it loose. It broke loose, but I couldn't spin it off because the socket was too long and interfered with the knock sensor. I didn't want to remove the sensor because 12-year-old plastic, but in retrospect, I should have just taken it out completely instead of just unplugging it...would have saved me a couple of trips to the hardware store finding different length sockets and threading on different wrenches 3 or 4 times and endless frustration. The rest went as easy as could be expected. I am thankful for the tip on making sure the solenoid was SNAPPED into place. Mine did NOT want to snap in place by hand and I might have blown that off in my frustration. But I knew this would be a bad thing. I had to use channel locks to get that thing to *click*. But now my wife is happy the CR-V starts every time now.
Eric you're a car surgeon. And I thought my job was hard. Amazing how you navigated through this job. Snug but not tight. Absolutely in awe how you felt your way through that. Well done!!
It's SOOOO much easier to take the solenoid out of the housing before tackling the hidden 14mm in the back. I believe it's two 8mm, maybe 10mm, long, skinny bolts holding it in. Made life so much easier. This will also give you a better mental visiual on what everything looks like when you go to put in the new one.
Yeeeayyyy! A repair video! After all these years of watching you wrench here and there on your Element I had no idea that vehicle had suicide doors untill recently I was in the market for one, saw a 2006 with 166k and they wanted $6k for it. Unfortunately someone bought it before I could scrounge up the cash.
Clear great quality video and audio, well thought out, to the point dialogue minus a lot of unnecessary chatter equals an excellent how to video.I gave it a thumbs up and subscribed.
The only person yet to do it from the bottom without a struggle. Well done. That lower radiator hose looked ancient, I wonder if it was removed if there would be a little more workspace? I do apologize for getting here 4 years late but my time is at hand to tackle this soon. I am watching all videos!
i did this yesterday but i removed the manifold. its a bit easier depsite the xtra 20mims to move the manifold. you can get to both mou ting bolts much much easier, but good video as always.
It's the same exact layout and process on my 2008 cr-v. Original one failed after 111k miles in florida weather. I also had to remove the knock sensor with a 1-1/16 wrench to get clearance with the 14mm bolt
Another great video Eric, and I agree why make extra work for your self and possibly breaking something else that will require fixing, but like you said to each his own. Keep those videos coming watching since the very first video.
Thanks for the video ETCG. I watched this video last week before I did this yesterday on my 2008 crv. I had to take out my knock sensor to get a straight shot at the blind bolt at the back of the starter. I got the starter changed out but this job sucks balls. I spent the extra money and got the remanufactured denso because I had it done already two years ago and used a parts store starter. Thanks for that tip. I hope it lasts longer this time.
Hi Eric, ty so much for your excellent video, your the second mechanic I seen that didn’t touch the intake, tons of people do, now I know better ty so much, regards, Bob,
Unfortunately a month too late for me :( I replaced mine by removing the intake manifold. After words, I wondered if the underneath approach was possible. Turns out it is! Great video Eric!
Glad to hear a different background music other than the typical hard rock/hip hop (nothing against that) music. BTW, nice choice of instrumental Puertorrican (like me) old school music.
My hands didn't fit underneath.. But the easiest starter bolt was the hardest to get out.. so i still had to go about it through the intake method.. darnit... But this guy has the Best Vids regarding the E
Hi Eric, I enjoyed watching your video. After I stop procrastinating, I need to rush out into the 90+ degree temperatures and either attempt to remove the starter from a 2003 Honda CRV or rush up to the auto store and hope they have the intake manifold gasket to do the job from the top. I watched many videos doing it from the top and logically, you and I agree it makes more sense only removing the starter, but you were using the ELEMENT CAR. Yes, I eventually found you suggesting that a 2004 Honda CRV could be removed from the bottom. Just like countless others posting on here, I don't have a lift, but I do have jacks & stands as well as a couple of ramps (which might be helpful as the car is on a sloped driveway). What is clear is that this is not going to be fun. Brian Eslick has a video showing ONLY removing the manifold, but not removing the guts on the right side of the engine. Yet, the Accord he worked on appeared to have much more engine compartment space. His keen idea might not work on the CRV. At least he looked great while doing his work. Here is his video: ua-cam.com/video/TcWMO_hT9P0/v-deo.html As "insurance," I might go get that intake manifold gasket just to "be prepared" as I am an Eagle Scout and that is our motto. To respect your time, I read just about all of the posts (below). Thanks for your video. You might want to include "Remove from the bottom" into the search terms for your video because it did not appear when I was searching for such videos. Respectfully, Brennan Car Guy / roadside mechanic / Aeronautical Scientist
I had to remove intake today. Don't have a lift. It is a big pita to repeat what Eric did when you have 2' of clearance from garage floor, and his video convinced me to go from the top. With that my intake is throwing P1078 IMRC code when weather is below 32 degrees, have to clean gunk inside. So needed it anyway.
Thanks Eric. Access is tight and if you do not have the exact combination of deep wall sockets, regular sockets, wobblehead, straight, short and long drivers and patience to fiddle with them in the tight spot this is frustrating. I did this with the car on the ground so leverage was tough but the starter is replaced, working fine and "only" cost $135.
Eric, glad to know someone else that talks to themselves or their particular project. I do it all the time. Please tell me, do you close your eyes sometimes when working blind ? It sometimes seems to help me (truly).
thanks eric... i learned a lot from you fixing my honda i do all my mechanic in my garage although im not quiet confident to do the timing belt yet but maybe one day thanks again for your help and guidance....
Great video! I would only attempt if you have a lift because it's very challenging with just jack stands and laying on the ground. I still appreciate the video and all tips within the video.
Eric, awesome job on the video, I've got an element like yours coming into my hands next week for the same thing, By the way your music is *Mr Regular voice* Sew Fanceh
I always remove the intake manifold. I find it takes less time to remove 6 or 7 easily visible bolts than it does to remove the splash shield, and remove almost all bolts blindly. Plus I have T-Rex arms.... 😂
1000% agree. I tried going from underneath using just jackstands, as per Honda Manual and many of the UA-cam videos I've seen (but they all have a lift). There's no way you can get to the back bolt. I can't even fit the socket on it. Just running into this and that blocking the way. I'm going to try again going from the top where at least you can see the bolt after removing the intake. Much more stuff to remove but at least there's much more room and you can pace yourself. On the bottom you'll have less to remove, but in exchange, much more cursing and scratching your arm (without even being able to finish the job).
+Drew 1st edition CR-Vs had a short bolt, IIRC. Getting it back in was just brutal. Helped a little to push the bolt head into the socket with a piece of paper towel in between, then tear away the edges that stuck out. The snug fit let you feel around for the starter flange hole without the bolt falling out so easily. That's also why Eric says to run in the lower bolt loosely - it aligns the top one but gives a little wiggle room to get the thread started. Long bolt, better.
I agree, The long bolt was a great design, however my deep sockets were still recessed a bit behind the back of the starter and I couldn't get on it with a square ratchet. Thanks to Eric, the money I saved went towards a flex head 3/8 drive ratchet. Wishing I went for the 90 tooth but the regular bite was just enough, I just had to 'push' into some coolant lines a bit to get that one "click". It did the job!
Great video, I have a 2003 Honda CRV...Everything was as described, the only suggest I have is that (if possible) take out the knock sensor...It is tight down there and that will give you a little more space to get at that top bolt.
Doug, I have been all of the comments and I am GLAD to read yours because I need to work on a 2003 CRV TODAY! Almost all of the other videos keep talking about removing the starter from the top which is hours of work. I wanted to find this video, or moreso, one on the 2003 CRV from the bottom removal. Are you saying you successfully used this method? I do not have the proper car lift that Eric uses in the video. Instead, I would use a floor jack and jack stands. Please, if anyone has used the removal from the bottom and had a CRV, let me know. Otherwise, I need to guy purchase an intake manifold gasket and I would rather remove it from the bottom, if that is possible.
This video was awesome unfortunately i had to remove my intake manifold on my 2012 civic si with the k24z7 but you need to specify that the top bolt is as long as it is i lost multiple sockets trying to find it but it all worked out the video help alot thank you man
Having done two starters on two different Elements, I can say with some level of confidence that it's a hell of a lot easier to do with the manifold removal if you do not have access to a lift. Both of the starters I replaced failed in the same way: stator magnet glue failed. Additionally, Harbor Freight sells an awesome pin puller which I found after seeing a similar tool in one of your headlight videos. Worth every penny.
I'm a little upset people keep bringing up the lift in the comments. Back before I had a lift, every other comment to my videos was, "Eric! You need a lift!" In fact, I had to start a forum thread explaining my reasons for not pursuing one. www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena/2-General-Discussion/44106-why-ericthecarguy-didn-t-have-a-lift Now, nothing but resentment. That said, you can do the entire thing lying on your back on the ground without a lift. Just because I don't do it the way you do, doesn't mean that I'm doing it wrong, it just means I do things differently. If I did things the way everyone else did, I'd be making comments to someone else's videos, instead of responding to comments on my own channel.
First attempt at responding failed. :-/ Second attempt: Eric, I don't resent the lift and I didn't intend to imply that the method you used was wrong by any means. I apologize if that's the impression I gave. As I have stated both here and on Patreon, you bring a breadth of experience as a service professional that I don't have as a home gamer, hobbyist, and fallback resource for friends and family. That said, there are different mechanics involved that make this particular job with this particular method much easier on a lift as opposed to up on jack stands. One of the biggest issues I had trying to work from underneath was the inability to bend my arms at the right places to work around obstacles. Another consideration is the length of breaker bar that you can use on a lift. I probably should have qualified my original comment with the fact that my situation, body design, and working environment made it harder for me to work from underneath. Pulling the manifold was a very simple process that allowed me to see what I was doing. Had this video existed before I dug in blindly, I may not have had to go from the top side. If I find myself in the situation again, I will try from underneath to see if knowing the "lay of the land" makes any difference. Thanks for another quality video. Sorry I got your hackles up, my friend.
I'm sorry. Bad day and a headache. I never get headaches so when I do, my fuse is pretty short. Please accept my apology. You're right, and your point is well made. Working on a lift is not the same as working on the ground. Personally I believed I was offering good advice by suggesting getting the starter from underneath was an easier option. For me and my lift, that might be true, but for others that don't have that luxury, perhaps not so much. My logic was that if you just remove the starter and not the starter and intake, you're doing less work. Thank you for the clarity and once again sorry for going off on you. Your's is just what seems like the 100th comment about the lift, and in my current state, I was not able to let it go. Sorry.
It's ok, my friend. We all have off days. No harm, no foul. You were professional about it, even when frustrated, and that says a lot about your character and stature. I can understand how hashing the same points, changing positions to what seems like the popular call, then hashing out your counterpoints can get really exhausting. Hope things clear up soon for you. Looking forward to your next excellent video. :)
I have an element it is even the same color as yours. When I did my starter I went with a a/c Delco... It is re worked and has a normal solonid on it. I put over 200k on it and it hasn't mist a beat. I removed the manifold mind you I like your way better less invasive.
Ac delco are good parts too. Comparable to oem. But when in doubt, always read the friggin book. Any internals i use and any gaskets that arent strictly rubber, i go straight to honda. Ive just had much better success with oem parts despite the cost
Great video. I just replaced my starter in my 07 CR-V, two years ago. Back bolt was frozen in and took a lot of effort, right to the end of threads. Rusty end of bolt caused the problem. Of course used a cheap Chinese knock off starter to save a buck. Here I am again replacing that piece of junk. Went with a genuine new Denso this time. Don't want to do this job a third time. Lucky I used anti-seize on the bolts when replacing the first time. Made the job much easier. Take it from me, spend the extra money and use a quality starter, Honda, Denso or AC Delco.
Damn, I wish this video had existed in 2012 when the started in my '03 Element died. I checked my Helm manual for the replacement procedure, but when I saw that it said to remove the intake manifold, I said, "Forget it," and paid the dealer $1k to do this job. I hated spending that much just to replace a part when I had already done the diagnosis, but I had a new baby and free time was very limited. Even so, I would have had to do this with the car on jack stands in my garage, and I don't have your nifty hose clamp pliers, an electric impact, or a nice big pry bar. I probably would have spent a lot of time cursing at things. My new Honda HR-V has an L-series motor, so maybe I will never need to know this now, but thanks for the great how-to anyway.
I just completed this. Could do everything under the vehicle, but had to raise a little high on Jack stands to be able to get a breaker bar on that 17mm bolt. Definitely needed a deep socket on the back 14mm bolt! That was a must. Used a 1 and 1/16 open-ended wrench for the knock sensor. Also, when putting the new starter back on, put the back bolt just a bit in its hole on the starter and tape the head to the side of the unit so you can have it in place when you put the starter back in. It’s nearly impossible to have any room to maneuver the bolt in after you set the starter in. This was a HUGE time saver.
This video was really helpful. I started the car before putting the bracket for the intake manifold like Eric said. It started up like a new car! Then put the splash shield back and all is well again! Hope this helps.
I always love watching other people struggle with those K series starters. Over my 12 years of being a Honda/Acura tech and doing these starters about twice a week, I will tell you that I hate struggling. It takes less time move the intake out of the way than to struggle with those two bastard bolts. I’ve even had long half inch fine tooth ratchets to break those bolts loose. You were lucky they actually cracked that easy. Good video Eric!
I'm 64 and out in the driveway, it was determined that I would probably work from both bottom and top. It was hard to get leverage under there. Thanks.
Great video Eric. It's thanks to people like you that a person like me has the confidence to even attempt a job like this. Watching your videos over the last 5 years has given me the confidence to do most of my own auto repair.
Third here, although I don't own an Honda. ;)
Big 4th here!!!
Thanks Eric. I just replaced the starter on my wife's 06 crv. It was configured just a little differently but same process. 27mm to remove the knock sensor helped a lot with access to the 14mm bolt that you can't see. Glad I didn't go the route of removing the intake manifold. But I have a lift and wouldn't want to go from underneath if I was on the ground doing this job. Took me 1.5 hours. Most helpful tool was a claw pick-up tool for all the times my 14mm fell of and got wedged between the starter and engine!
I remember back when I had my Element there was always someone on the forums who claimed they could replace their starter without removing the manifold but there was never any evidence. You have provided proof that it can be done! Thank you.
I found taking out the knock sensor can help people struggling to get the top 14mm or sliding the starter out. A 27 mm wrench usually works to loosen the sensor. This also helps prevent damaging the sensor as its made of cheese grade plastic.
Just changed my starter about three weeks ago on Acura tsx, k series, this video would have set me up easier but even taking off the front manifold, I was able to complete the job less then an hour. Underneath would have been easier. Just like you, that front starter bolt is over tighten so much, that was the most challenging part of it all with little room to use a ratchet. Great video
Your presentation was excellent, with a number of very good pointers and insights along the way. However...I just changed out the starter on my granddaughter's new (to her) 2008 Accord, a job I initially attempted without any reference to the internet since I figured my more than 50 years of auto repair experience would make it a pretty straightforward job. (Note: This is only the second Honda I have ever worked on, and my previous experience was limited to repairing a faulty driver's side lock cylinder.) I began by disconnecting the battery, jacking the car up, supporting it on jack stands, and removing the engine undercover, assuming that the starter would then be easy to locate and remove-WRONG! I couldn't even see the starter. At this point it became obvious that the starter was tucked inside the intake manifold runners, and I turned to the internet for guidance. The first two videos I found called for removing the intake manifold, and although the quality of the specific methods and narration in the videos was mediocre at best, I could see my path forward.
If the car had been on a lift where I could stand under it rather than sitting on jack stands while I laid on my driveway flat on my back with the underside of the car a few inches above my face, I might consider utilizing the method you used. However, I found that removing the intake manifold was not particularly difficult, and it avoids removing a number of old, brittle, hard-to-access electrical connectors that very well might have broken when I tried to unfasten them. Had that happened, I'd have had to remove the intake manifold anyway and spent extra time and money on new connectors and possibly new sensors. To each his own, but I'm with the Honda tech who recommended removing the intake manifold which in my opinion made the job a relatively straightforward one.
Yeah I'm in the middle wife's '09 Civic now. Just got starter out, so far no broken connectors and no broken long bolt. The most insane thing I think I have seen. Furthermore, I have heard they haven't changed the design as of 2019 so I'm switching to Toyota after this and after hearing about the possibility the 8th engine block could crack(1950's called and want their problems back) Eric said once they started to focus on other things like building jets etc Honda lost their focus and did these kinds of thing.
Hi, I follow this video and got my elements starter changed. I do recommend this video to who want to do their starter but I wont say this is easy. The intake manafold one is even more ass hole so this is the minimal. You may not need the power ratchat, but a small 1/4" ratchet for the 14mm at the back really helps. I have a 3/8" so I end up need to finger it out and finger it in. I remove the 14mm in 4 hours, and the rest is relatively smooth. Yes, Just want to thank Eric and remind others to follow closely. It works.
More repair vids please. Yes, we do like to watch you struggle. Makes you seem human and that we are not alone in our frustration. Thanks Eric
my wife walked by 2:23, "Ohhh Eric's getting fancy with his music"
ua-cam.com/video/wh-r9HBNBHg/v-deo.html it was inspire from this song
I loved that tune.
It’s not bad. I’m not a fan of music in most videos, but enjoyed it in this one.
🎶That is a “seis” from the mountain or Puerto Rico 🇵🇷🎶
05 Accord and for me the 17mm was truly a pain. Changing it in a parking lot from above. Without a fine tooth ratchet. Ended up using a swivel and extension. Nice to hear others had no problems.
Did you avoid taking out the intake?
Eric, Thank you so much for the great productions you've been putting out.
I just completed this starter swap, following your method, and it worked flawlessly.
I followed your preference for the denzo, however the plastic slot that host the terminal block on the starter did not mate with my 2005 Element, I ended up having to shave some of the plastic away with a rotary tool.
I earned myself a flex head ratchet from this job, and am grateful for your work! I can see this method being troublesome for a bigger guy. I did this job with wheels on the ground, and I was almost at my limits for my hand size being small enough, I'm 6 ft 215lbs.
The video was priceless for setting me up to do this job in one go. I was able to borrow extensions, pick up the one tool I needed, and follow step by step to completion.
I'm picking up myself some T-shirts in Thanks. Charles
What a timely video! My reman Denso starter came in 2 days ago and I will change it out on my '05 Element tomorrow. Saw this trick done on other videos and wondered why you havent made a video yet...... you rock!
Can do it from above in about an hour. No sense is feeling around, praying you hit that spot. Missionary, baby!
Did you remove the intake manifold to do it from the top?
Thanks for the video Eric, glad I was able to tackle this myself on my GF's 2006 Element.
I ended up taking the bottom approach shown here, but I had a bugger of a time getting to that top bolt. Like Eric said, you're "seeing with your hands" on that top bolt. I only have a set of drive up ramps, so I didn't have the luxury of being able to reach straight up towards the starter. Even with average sized "man hands", (YES THAT'S A SEINFELD REFERENCE, I found it to be very close quarters. It's definitely a job where I appreciated having a Milwaukee power ratchet like Eric's, which I bought just for this project. In hindsight, I think I would've been a bit easier had I removed the knock sensor completely.
Thanks again to Eric for sharing his wealth of knowledge. I will definitely be subscribing to this channel for future updates.
I replaced my starter from below, months before seeing this video, in a third-generation CR-V. Two things held me up.
First was pulling the starter out of the cavity--I had to get a little forceful to work against the force of the wires, but it all worked out fine. I did disconnect that sensor since I could see me snapping it off, as my luck usually runs.
Second, installing that rear bolt was an issue. Getting it out was simple. But for the life of me, I could not locate the hole in which to fasten the bolt, no matter how much I fished around with it. But I did a little trick that made it so much easier--I taped the bolt to the side of the starter lightly with painter's masking tape, with the bolt already in the mounting hole but not protruding out the opposite side. Once I remounted the starter and fastened the front bolt, it took me all of 30 seconds to push the rear bolt in, unfasten the tape and snug it up.
I also found that a deep well socket was perfect on that rear bolt, since the hex head could drift inside the socket and I could keep the ratchet at the same location.
Looking at the Honda service manual, page 4-9, they show the starter is removed from underneath. Nothing about removing the intake. We're looking at buying a TSX, and with the tighter packaging under the hood, I would probably have to remove the intake to get to it.
Eric, at 10:30 that move is referred to as the "classic reach around" on the SMA channel :) A classic automotive move!
I think it is an everyday occurrence at SMA!
Anything built after '96 requires the Classic Reach Around to get anything done! 😊
I always give that courtesy
gotta be at least 18 year old vehicle for the classic reacharound..
@@workingshlub8861 damn I've been thinking it was only 16 this whole time....
I will be paying somebody to change mine after watching this. Worth every penny.
“Unless you happen to enjoy a ‘check engine’ light when you’re done...” lol. Awesome video Eric! Thank you for what you do.
I will say that removing the Knock Sensor would probably make this job a LOT easier. If it were out then you could use an extension on that socket and I think it would make that rear bolt a lot easier to deal with. I found that when I ratcheted it out far enough, It would hit the knock sensor and not come out any further. So I ended up having run it back in a bit, get the socket off of it and contort my hand back in there and two finger it out a 1/8th turn at a time... Otherwise this method worked great. You must be patient to do it this way though as You will be frustrated a time or two. Great video as Usual Eric!
Gotta say I really enjoyed the music you had in this video. Lil Spanish flava never hurts lol
Thanks for the video. I am replacing this on a 2008 CRV tomorrow. Great tip on using the hose pliers to disconnect the wire to the knock sensor. I will remove the knock sensor for more clearance.
Welcome back Eric. Your videos helped me a lot on my 98 gmc jimmy. So you can imagine how far back I been following you. Although I had to work in pouring rain at 3 in the am most of the time. Your videos helped me get back to work the next day. Been following you for a while now. Glad to see your back.
I watch videos like these to determine if I should attempt the repair or bring it to a pro. Thank you E.T.C.G.
THANK YOU ERIC! I tried explaining this on others videos... but the Internet is always smarter than me!
Apparently smarter than me too. ;)
hi eric I saw your channel from sma that gathering you had....its what you said....the biggest thing to me is helping someone out....that told me so much...iam a ase master tech on the job 30 years god time flies....was at chevy 20 now independent and the most important thing is... I truly live by... is fix it right then pay later nice to meet you eric dave
Eric the Car guy, Danner the Scanner and the South Main Auto are the best in auto repairs education videos
Thanks so much for this guide! Just did this on my 2014 Si. That 14mm in the back was definitely a pain. But this video helped me out a bunch!
Nice dude. I'm doing mine tomorrow.
Ah thank you so much, please never stop being helpful to strangers
Very informative. Thanks, I was convinced that this job was going to require me to pop the manifold and may or may not have been doing my best “back in my day” impression. As in, back in my day you you just take the starter out the bottom on your back, under the car in your driveway.
@ericthecarguy I did this earlier today on my rsx - s with a K24 and pulled it out the bottom, super super easy. I moved the power steering pump out of the way and with some long extensions I reached the 2 bolts through the side and pulled it out the bottom, now just waiting on my replacement part!Thanks for the tips, Eric! Love your videos and humor.
You deh man Eric! Thanks for all your help with my 2005 element issues. I can't even count how many projects I have used your videos for. Thanks bro. Keep it up!
I watch many times, the fastest way I have ever seen/learned from you, Thank you so much, bro.
Eric all I can say after joining you back when you had that old small shop/garage is I still love the channel and love the Fairmont ride / build . Thanks for bringing me along and looking forward to a lot more good content.
Thank you!
Thanks Eric! This will save me about two hours on the next one I do.
Love my Honda Element 2004, thanks for all the special repairs on the elements!
I did this 3 days ago.... Mate! What a PAIN to remove and intall the long bolt in the back. In my care was the K24Z1 engine in a 2011 CR-V. Less space than in this video to remove the starter... But finally with patience and resting my arms 3 times it was done
Harry the Honda is fixed. Another great video thank you Eric.
I have not had the best luck with Densco starters recently; 4 failures in just over a year and 5k miles on several different cars using Delco now , very happy.
I just did this on my wife's '09 CR-V today, and while it involved fewer steps than doing it from top, I didn't find it nearly as easy as I'd hoped. I have small hands and twisting myself into a pretzel, it took me ages to get a socket on that rear starter bolt. I knew it was going to be tricky when I saw you struggle with it for :05 of screen time. When I did get it on, it didn't want to break free using the weak-sauce wrench I was using. So I had to remove the wrench and use my torque wrench as a breaker bar (against my better judgement) to break it loose. It broke loose, but I couldn't spin it off because the socket was too long and interfered with the knock sensor. I didn't want to remove the sensor because 12-year-old plastic, but in retrospect, I should have just taken it out completely instead of just unplugging it...would have saved me a couple of trips to the hardware store finding different length sockets and threading on different wrenches 3 or 4 times and endless frustration. The rest went as easy as could be expected. I am thankful for the tip on making sure the solenoid was SNAPPED into place. Mine did NOT want to snap in place by hand and I might have blown that off in my frustration. But I knew this would be a bad thing. I had to use channel locks to get that thing to *click*. But now my wife is happy the CR-V starts every time now.
Eric you're a car surgeon. And I thought my job was hard. Amazing how you navigated through this job. Snug but not tight. Absolutely in awe how you felt your way through that. Well done!!
It's SOOOO much easier to take the solenoid out of the housing before tackling the hidden 14mm in the back. I believe it's two 8mm, maybe 10mm, long, skinny bolts holding it in. Made life so much easier. This will also give you a better mental visiual on what everything looks like when you go to put in the new one.
Yeeeayyyy! A repair video!
After all these years of watching you wrench here and there on your Element I had no idea that vehicle had suicide doors untill recently I was in the market for one, saw a 2006 with 166k and they wanted $6k for it.
Unfortunately someone bought it before I could scrounge up the cash.
Clear great quality video and audio, well thought out, to the point dialogue minus a lot of unnecessary chatter equals an excellent how to video.I gave it a thumbs up and subscribed.
The only person yet to do it from the bottom without a struggle. Well done. That lower radiator hose looked ancient, I wonder if it was removed if there would be a little more workspace? I do apologize for getting here 4 years late but my time is at hand to tackle this soon. I am watching all videos!
i did this yesterday but i removed the manifold. its a bit easier depsite the xtra 20mims to move the manifold. you can get to both mou ting bolts much much easier, but good video as always.
The music is a really nice touch to these videos!
Wow the first pro starter change on this type starter set up, love it and thanks for video
It's the same exact layout and process on my 2008 cr-v. Original one failed after 111k miles in florida weather. I also had to remove the knock sensor with a 1-1/16 wrench to get clearance with the 14mm bolt
Another great video Eric, and I agree why make extra work for your self and possibly breaking something else that will require fixing, but like you said to each his own. Keep those videos coming watching since the very first video.
Been watching your videos for a long time man. Love them! And I'm a big Honda guy myself so I really enjoy any Honda videos
Thank you!
Thanks for the video ETCG. I watched this video last week before I did this yesterday on my 2008 crv. I had to take out my knock sensor to get a straight shot at the blind bolt at the back of the starter. I got the starter changed out but this job sucks balls. I spent the extra money and got the remanufactured denso because I had it done already two years ago and used a parts store starter. Thanks for that tip. I hope it lasts longer this time.
Great video, this may come in handy one day, being that I own an '02 CR-V with this engine
Hi Eric, ty so much for your excellent video, your the second mechanic I seen that didn’t touch the intake, tons of people do, now I know better ty so much, regards, Bob,
Eric: Some ppl said you have to remove the intake manifold. I don’t.
Also Eric: Put car on lift LOL
I know right cause everybody should have one in their aparment
You don't need a lift to do this.
Jacks and stands/ramps. Jacks and stands worked fine for me.
Thanks Eric! I figured there was an easier way! Work smarter not harder
The top is easier for a DIYer
I just love it Eric You do it underground and removing a lot of parts Excellent. greeting from Sand Diego.
Unfortunately a month too late for me :( I replaced mine by removing the intake manifold. After words, I wondered if the underneath approach was possible. Turns out it is! Great video Eric!
Underneath is easier.
If you have a lift.
Glad to hear a different background music other than the typical hard rock/hip hop (nothing against that) music. BTW, nice choice of instrumental Puertorrican (like me) old school music.
My hands didn't fit underneath.. But the easiest starter bolt was the hardest to get out.. so i still had to go about it through the intake method.. darnit... But this guy has the Best Vids regarding the E
Hi Eric,
I enjoyed watching your video. After I stop procrastinating, I need to rush out into the 90+ degree temperatures and either attempt to remove the starter from a 2003 Honda CRV or rush up to the auto store and hope they have the intake manifold gasket to do the job from the top. I watched many videos doing it from the top and logically, you and I agree it makes more sense only removing the starter, but you were using the ELEMENT CAR. Yes, I eventually found you suggesting that a 2004 Honda CRV could be removed from the bottom. Just like countless others posting on here, I don't have a lift, but I do have jacks & stands as well as a couple of ramps (which might be helpful as the car is on a sloped driveway).
What is clear is that this is not going to be fun.
Brian Eslick has a video showing ONLY removing the manifold, but not removing the guts on the right side of the engine. Yet, the Accord he worked on appeared to have much more engine compartment space. His keen idea might not work on the CRV. At least he looked great while doing his work. Here is his video: ua-cam.com/video/TcWMO_hT9P0/v-deo.html
As "insurance," I might go get that intake manifold gasket just to "be prepared" as I am an Eagle Scout and that is our motto.
To respect your time, I read just about all of the posts (below).
Thanks for your video. You might want to include "Remove from the bottom" into the search terms for your video because it did not appear when I was searching for such videos.
Respectfully,
Brennan
Car Guy / roadside mechanic / Aeronautical Scientist
Your freaking awesome, always informative with step by step instructions and extras.
Finally you have shown me the right way which I was looking for! Very professional. Thanks so much.
Great video, Eric! Cool music, and a feel good vid. Nice job!
I had to remove intake today. Don't have a lift. It is a big pita to repeat what Eric did when you have 2' of clearance from garage floor, and his video convinced me to go from the top. With that my intake is throwing P1078 IMRC code when weather is below 32 degrees, have to clean gunk inside. So needed it anyway.
I have a lift and still found removing the intake is the best way to go,whole job takes about an hour with air tools
Awesome didn’t know you were a Latin music lover. Now you truly are my idol. I love Latin music and I also have a 2004 element
Thanks Eric. Access is tight and if you do not have the exact combination of deep wall sockets, regular sockets, wobblehead, straight, short and long drivers and patience to fiddle with them in the tight spot this is frustrating. I did this with the car on the ground so leverage was tough but the starter is replaced, working fine and "only" cost $135.
I'll be doing this tomorrow on my 09 CRV. It's supposed to be 40° and sunny. Prayers for nice weather, please!!!
02-05 civic si has a tight engine bay. I had to remove the intake manifold to get to the starter
Ur my fav
Lunchtime any tips on this? I’m about to tackle a friends 05 si and need any help I can get. I can’t find any videos on the si
Good video! I had to replace starter twice on my 2004 accord. First one lasted for about two weeks. Poor quality parts from
Advance auto parts.
What brand starter did you use on the second install?
Eric, glad to know someone else that talks to themselves or their particular project. I do it all the time. Please tell me, do you close your eyes sometimes when working blind ? It sometimes seems to help me (truly).
Thanks for all the good content Eric! Your videos have helped me a lot
Love it, Eric! A classic repair video, and I love the musical flair too!
thanks eric... i learned a lot from you fixing my honda i do all my mechanic in my garage although im not quiet confident to do the timing belt yet but maybe one day thanks again for your help and guidance....
The lift really pays off. Great video.
It does, but you can do the exact same thing while relaxing on the ground.
Thanks for a great video and tips. The plier trick used to unplug connectors should come in handy for me.
Thank you for being an awesome mechanic.
Great video! I would only attempt if you have a lift because it's very challenging with just jack stands and laying on the ground. I still appreciate the video and all tips within the video.
Great video. Will be attempting tomorrow. Wish me luck!
Great video,i own a Honda element as well, your video on control arm bushings was very useful thanks, looking forward for future videos on k-series
I think I need a new starter. Great video. Even better music. Thx.
Eric, awesome job on the video, I've got an element like yours coming into my hands next week for the same thing,
By the way your music is *Mr Regular voice* Sew Fanceh
I always remove the intake manifold. I find it takes less time to remove 6 or 7 easily visible bolts than it does to remove the splash shield, and remove almost all bolts blindly. Plus I have T-Rex arms.... 😂
Especially without a lift.
1000% agree. I tried going from underneath using just jackstands, as per Honda Manual and many of the UA-cam videos I've seen (but they all have a lift). There's no way you can get to the back bolt. I can't even fit the socket on it. Just running into this and that blocking the way. I'm going to try again going from the top where at least you can see the bolt after removing the intake. Much more stuff to remove but at least there's much more room and you can pace yourself. On the bottom you'll have less to remove, but in exchange, much more cursing and scratching your arm (without even being able to finish the job).
thank you. you saved me hours of work!!!!!!!!!! You ROCK!
A long bolt! Engineers did something right for once!!!! It's a "New Starter Day" miracle!!!
Drew I wish they'd made this choice on the D16ZC engine. The upper 14mm bolt from the starter was not that easy to reach as well.
+Drew 1st edition CR-Vs had a short bolt, IIRC. Getting it back in was just brutal. Helped a little to push the bolt head into the socket with a piece of paper towel in between, then tear away the edges that stuck out. The snug fit let you feel around for the starter flange hole without the bolt falling out so easily. That's also why Eric says to run in the lower bolt loosely - it aligns the top one but gives a little wiggle room to get the thread started. Long bolt, better.
I agree, The long bolt was a great design, however my deep sockets were still recessed a bit behind the back of the starter and I couldn't get on it with a square ratchet.
Thanks to Eric, the money I saved went towards a flex head 3/8 drive ratchet.
Wishing I went for the 90 tooth but the regular bite was just enough, I just had to 'push' into some coolant lines a bit to get that one "click". It did the job!
Great video, I have a 2003 Honda CRV...Everything was as described, the only suggest I have is that (if possible) take out the knock sensor...It is tight down there and that will give you a little more space to get at that top bolt.
Doug, I have been all of the comments and I am GLAD to read yours because I need to work on a 2003 CRV TODAY! Almost all of the other videos keep talking about removing the starter from the top which is hours of work. I wanted to find this video, or moreso, one on the 2003 CRV from the bottom removal. Are you saying you successfully used this method? I do not have the proper car lift that Eric uses in the video. Instead, I would use a floor jack and jack stands. Please, if anyone has used the removal from the bottom and had a CRV, let me know. Otherwise, I need to guy purchase an intake manifold gasket and I would rather remove it from the bottom, if that is possible.
@@BrennanCallan how did it go? Doing my 04 tomorrow.
Wow what timing. I'm replacing the positive battery harness on my 04 Accord with a k series this weekend.
Baronvaile yes because you have the same year and engine and they all due in time for it to be fixed 👍🏼
This video was awesome unfortunately i had to remove my intake manifold on my 2012 civic si with the k24z7 but you need to specify that the top bolt is as long as it is i lost multiple sockets trying to find it but it all worked out the video help alot thank you man
Having done two starters on two different Elements, I can say with some level of confidence that it's a hell of a lot easier to do with the manifold removal if you do not have access to a lift.
Both of the starters I replaced failed in the same way: stator magnet glue failed.
Additionally, Harbor Freight sells an awesome pin puller which I found after seeing a similar tool in one of your headlight videos. Worth every penny.
I'm a little upset people keep bringing up the lift in the comments. Back before I had a lift, every other comment to my videos was, "Eric! You need a lift!" In fact, I had to start a forum thread explaining my reasons for not pursuing one.
www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena/2-General-Discussion/44106-why-ericthecarguy-didn-t-have-a-lift
Now, nothing but resentment. That said, you can do the entire thing lying on your back on the ground without a lift. Just because I don't do it the way you do, doesn't mean that I'm doing it wrong, it just means I do things differently. If I did things the way everyone else did, I'd be making comments to someone else's videos, instead of responding to comments on my own channel.
First attempt at responding failed. :-/ Second attempt:
Eric, I don't resent the lift and I didn't intend to imply that the method you used was wrong by any means. I apologize if that's the impression I gave. As I have stated both here and on Patreon, you bring a breadth of experience as a service professional that I don't have as a home gamer, hobbyist, and fallback resource for friends and family.
That said, there are different mechanics involved that make this particular job with this particular method much easier on a lift as opposed to up on jack stands. One of the biggest issues I had trying to work from underneath was the inability to bend my arms at the right places to work around obstacles. Another consideration is the length of breaker bar that you can use on a lift.
I probably should have qualified my original comment with the fact that my situation, body design, and working environment made it harder for me to work from underneath. Pulling the manifold was a very simple process that allowed me to see what I was doing. Had this video existed before I dug in blindly, I may not have had to go from the top side. If I find myself in the situation again, I will try from underneath to see if knowing the "lay of the land" makes any difference.
Thanks for another quality video. Sorry I got your hackles up, my friend.
I'm sorry. Bad day and a headache. I never get headaches so when I do, my fuse is pretty short. Please accept my apology.
You're right, and your point is well made. Working on a lift is not the same as working on the ground. Personally I believed I was offering good advice by suggesting getting the starter from underneath was an easier option. For me and my lift, that might be true, but for others that don't have that luxury, perhaps not so much. My logic was that if you just remove the starter and not the starter and intake, you're doing less work.
Thank you for the clarity and once again sorry for going off on you. Your's is just what seems like the 100th comment about the lift, and in my current state, I was not able to let it go. Sorry.
It's ok, my friend. We all have off days. No harm, no foul. You were professional about it, even when frustrated, and that says a lot about your character and stature.
I can understand how hashing the same points, changing positions to what seems like the popular call, then hashing out your counterpoints can get really exhausting.
Hope things clear up soon for you. Looking forward to your next excellent video. :)
Can you provide the part number for the HF pin puller you mentioned? Thanks!
I have an element it is even the same color as yours. When I did my starter I went with a a/c Delco... It is re worked and has a normal solonid on it. I put over 200k on it and it hasn't mist a beat. I removed the manifold mind you I like your way better less invasive.
Miles don't really matter on a starter. Age and average starts per day are the main wear factors.
Ac delco are good parts too. Comparable to oem. But when in doubt, always read the friggin book. Any internals i use and any gaskets that arent strictly rubber, i go straight to honda. Ive just had much better success with oem parts despite the cost
Great video. I just replaced my starter in my 07 CR-V, two years ago. Back bolt was frozen in
and took a lot of effort, right to the end of threads. Rusty end of bolt caused the problem.
Of course used a cheap Chinese knock off starter to save a buck. Here I am again replacing that piece of junk. Went with a genuine new Denso this time. Don't want to do this job a third time. Lucky I used anti-seize on the bolts when replacing the first time. Made the job much easier. Take it from me, spend the extra money and use a quality starter, Honda, Denso or AC Delco.
Really enjoyed this video, Eric. Thanks!
That's a great how-to video, and I like the music
The old K series engine used in everything from Honda's, Rover in the UK, and I think Lotus had it in the Elise.
EricTheSalsaGuy? love it cocktails for everyone, no I'm not a alcoholic!
Damn, I wish this video had existed in 2012 when the started in my '03 Element died. I checked my Helm manual for the replacement procedure, but when I saw that it said to remove the intake manifold, I said, "Forget it," and paid the dealer $1k to do this job. I hated spending that much just to replace a part when I had already done the diagnosis, but I had a new baby and free time was very limited. Even so, I would have had to do this with the car on jack stands in my garage, and I don't have your nifty hose clamp pliers, an electric impact, or a nice big pry bar. I probably would have spent a lot of time cursing at things. My new Honda HR-V has an L-series motor, so maybe I will never need to know this now, but thanks for the great how-to anyway.
@10:04 You can put that bolt through the hole in the starter before you put the starter into position. It makes life so much easier!
great video eric. i have a 2008 acura tsx which people say you need to remove manifold. glad i dont have to.
Have that same M12 ratchet love it to run bolts in tighter spaces