How to Replace the Starter in a Chevy Avalanche
Taking your 2003 to 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche with an 8.1L engine to a mechanic or the dealership to have someone else replace the starter motor can be very expensive. While the mechanic may be more convenient, you would save a bundle and learn a new experience by performing the task yourself.
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Instructions
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Park your Chevy Avalanche on a level surface, activate the emergency brake and place blocks behind the back tires for safety. Disconnect the negative battery cable with a terminal puller. Raise the front end of the car with a jack for easier access to the starter.
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Remove the positive battery cable nut and the engine harness ground nut. Disconnect the positive battery cable and ground wire from the solenoid.
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Unscrew and remove the starter mounting bolts. Place all nuts and bolts in a safe place to prevent loss, such as a baby food jar.
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Detach the heat shield if necessary. Remove the starter from the vehicle.
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Take your malfunctioning starter to the parts store with you. Aftermarket distributors remanufacture most of the starters they sell, so you can likely obtain a partial credit toward your new starter by exchanging your old one. Be sure that you take care not to damage the starter in transit, because the better condition it is in, the more you can get for it.
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Purchase a replacement starter that has the same or higher cranking capacity (power rating) as the original starter. Also, match the bolt patterns, drive gears and electrical connections. Your owner's manual may list specifications or the auto parts technician will help you determine them. Download a free owner's manual by registering with the Chevy Owner Center (see Resources).
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Install the new starter motor by reversing the removal process. Tighten the heat shield nut to 44 inch pounds (five Nm) and the bolt to 35 inch pounds (three Nm).
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Torque the starter mounting bolts to 37 foot pounds (50 Nm). Tighten the ground wire retaining nut to 30 inch pounds (3.4 Nm) and the positive battery cable retaining nut to 80 inch pounds (nine Nm).
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Lower your Avalanche back to the ground. Reconnect the negative battery cable. Turn the key in the ignition to see if your new starter motor functions correctly.
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Tips & Warnings
Always inspect the battery, solenoid and alternator to be certain they are working properly before replacing a starter. When an engine fails to start, many do-it-yourselfers misdiagnose the problem as the starter and replace it unnecessarily, only to find that the vehicle still won't start.
If you believe your starter is in the problem, use a bench test to see if the starter motor spins and how well the starter is performing. A bench test will check the amp load, voltage and RPMs. If the starter is good, it will draw 60 to 150 amps with no load and up to 250 amps under load.
If your Chevy Avalanche is an older model and/or has high mileage, you should also replace the solenoid.
The disconnection of the negative battery cable may interfere with the on board computer function. Upon reconnection, the computer may need to go through a relearning process.
Never operate the starter for more than 30 seconds at a time. Allow the starter motor to cool for at least two minutes in between starting attempts to prevent permanent damage.
The starter replacement process is different for later models or those with a different sized engine than the 2003 to 2005 Chevy Avalanche with an 8.1L engine. Consult your owner's manual or a mechanic for details.
