I think that Nate is pointing something out, without specifically saying it.
To get the bolt out, you need sufficient extension length to put an breaker bar or long flex handle to it WHILE MAINTAINING A STRAIGHT SHOT.
When I hear about allen wrenches or other tools bent or broken, I think of my own skill at doing such things. It usually turns out that I had not gotten the wrench, allen key, etc. on straight, and was torquing everything at some angle.
I also don't recall that Nate's extensions were all that long. It IS necessary to get back a ways, but I think that maybe a 12" would do it. (Nate has dozens of 1" and 3" extensions that he can string together, which may make it seem longer.)
Nate is absolutely right that it is necessary to get the longest available flex handle or breaker bar for this job. But a nice long one is so often a joy to use when you have the space and don't want to have to exert so much force on the 3", stubby handle that your knuckles are guaranteed to make an intimate date with some sharp metal edge before you can stop them, once the nut loosens.
Tom
ps: We went out to a Chevy light truck show this morning. Nate, of course, got there at 0 dark 30, in his '69 C-10 with the straight six, and was on his second bag of donuts by the time the park opened. When I tooled up at 9:30, there was a line of trucks down the freeway, across the river and through the woods, waiting to get in. I was in the 300SD.
Being cheap, I parked out under a freeway overpass (in the shade) and walked in, thus avoiding the very high parking charge. The venue was the Gypsum Canyon RV park, owned by the County but run by some private outfit. Lots of very nice shade trees. When all the trucks had gotten in, they only occupied about 1/4 of the whole RV park. If any of you are taking RV vacations in the southland, this is a very nice park, mostly for BIG RVs and long trailers. Full hook ups.
It seemed to me that more than 300 old Chevy pick-ups, Suburbans, panel deliveries and stake beds showed up. I think that I got a look at all or at least most of them. NOT A SINGLE DIESEL in the crowd!
Of all of the trucks, only a handful were 6 cylinders. Anyone unaware of real history would have thought that all GM sold during the 40s, 50s and 60s were V-8s.
We were able to stop at a fuel station on the freeway just as we left the park. I tanked up. 27 mpg since the last tank. Most of that was at 70 mph. Not bad for a 126 that's 31 years old and has 360,+++ miles on it.
In a message dated 7/8/2012 6:31:13 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, vwnate1@yahoo.com writes:
I had to use every 3/8" extension in the tool box (several feet of them ,T om was amazed and might have measured it) and the longest flex handle to crack it loose , then I was able to unscrew that ding-dang bolt , the car was off the ground so I had plenty of space under it behind the tranny and I tuned the air blue in three counties before the job was done .
FWIW , the _only_ reason we won WWII was because we had more of everything , kids , guns , Jeeps and so on .
-Nate
Nick Said :
>
> Trying to get the top bolt out of the starter. I am ready to take a torch to the tranny tunnel if someone can not give me a better way.(and I am serious) Really, you guys think these cars are brilliant pieces of engineering?
> I have been working on cars for over 35 years. I can replace a chevy starter in less than 15 minutes and be enjoying a cold one in 20. I have worked on this for 5 hours. cut two allens, chopped up a good 10mm wrench then twisted it into a pretzel and still it does not move.
>
> Whoever designed a starter with allen bolts is a moron. Give me one good reason that an allen is necessary. No wonder we won WWII.
>
> Nick
>
