Starter Removal 1971 BMW 2800cs

verde2002

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Plan is to replace my starter this weekend and I wanted to know if the rear manifold can be removed from the head with carburetor still attached and the simplest and quickest way of doing this. Can I just move it up far enough where the links to the carb. will not have to be removed? Any tricks that can help greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
 
It is a pain with the rear manifold in place that's for sure. It helps to remove the expansion tank, disconnect battery first thing obviously. Linkage has to come off but that's easy, pop off the adjuster and then remove two bolts that holds the rod on the rear manifold. I think it's easier to remove the carb first, use a short and a long 13mm box wrench, rearmost nut is the hardest. Then you can see the three manifold nuts underneath. I think I would leave it on as you can see the starter easier without the carb in the way. If you remove it the 8mm nuts should have a 12mm head, these are unique to the manifolds.
 
It is a pain with the rear manifold in place that's for sure. It helps to remove the expansion tank, disconnect battery first thing obviously. Linkage has to come off but that's easy, pop off the adjuster and then remove two bolts that holds the rod on the rear manifold. I think it's easier to remove the carb first, use a short and a long 13mm box wrench, rearmost nut is the hardest. Then you can see the three manifold nuts underneath. I think I would leave it on as you can see the starter easier without the carb in the way. If you remove it the 8mm nuts should have a 12mm head, these are unique to the manifolds.

Chris when you state "I think I would leave it on" are you referring to leaving the manifold on or the carburetor on the manifold?
 
starter removal

I just did this. My worry was getting carried away once stuff was removed and I could reach pieces that I could clean, paint, rebuild and so on, adding weeks to a job I thought I would wrap up in a day...oh well, got to tidy up 40 or so years of accumulated gunk, and improve things in engine compartment. I took a lot of photos of linkage attachment, as well as the hoses and what fuel line goes where. Big help. Yes, remove expansion tank, so you will have to deal with coolant mess. I took off the rear carb and manifold as one unit, (I have Webers) then lots of room to access starter and many other areas. I used what is sometimes called an "obstruction" wrench to access starter bolts. It is bent in an extreme way and makes getting closed end on bolt head easy. Was not bad after I got room to work.
Good luck. Mike
 
SF Don told me a little trick about putting a nut on the top starter bolt in case it has to be removed again- I think that will allow you to remove the starter with minimal effort.
 
When I went it after the starter, IIRC I removed the carb from the manifold. Even then it's no fun, but with the carb on the manifold it will be even less amusing.
 
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