How to Change a Starter in a 1997 Dodge Avenger
If your 1997 Dodge Avenger will not start, chances are that either your battery or starter is dead. Try jumping your Avenger to see if the battery will work with extra juice. If it still does not start, and you hear a whirling followed by a loud "click," your starter probably needs replacing. Replacing the starter on your 1997 Dodge Avenger is not a difficult job, and doing it yourself will help to save you some cash.
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Things You'll Need
- Mechanic's gloves
- Socket wrench with adapters
- Replacement starter
- Flat screwdriver
- Floor jack
- Jack stands
- Car ramps
Instructions
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1
Raise the Dodge Avenger on a pair of car ramps. Do not improvise if you are lacking a set of ramps; doing so may lead to serious injury. Either purchase or borrow a set of ramps or use a pair of jack stands to secure the Avenger.
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2
Located the starter on your 1997 Avenger. It is located on the passenger side on the bottom of the engine. The starter typically looks like two cylindrical pieces joined together and is about half the size of a football.
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3
Remove the black battery cable from the Avenger's car battery. Doing so will not only protect you from electric shock, but will also ensure that the engine fan will not turn on by itself while you are working on your car.
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4
Disconnect the electrical connection tab in your 1997 Dodge Avenger, which leads to the starter. Use a flat-head screwdriver to gently pry apart the connection tabs if you have difficulty disconnecting them.
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5
Use a socket wrench to unscrew the copper bolt holding in place the electrical wire for the starter. This will give you more room to work with for disconnecting the starter from the engine and expose the bolts holding the starter into place.
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6
Unscrew the two bolts that connect the starter to the flywheel. Use a torque wrench for extra leverage and power if the bolts are extremely tight or stuck.
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7
Slide the starter out and replace it with the new one. Tighten the two bolts holding the new starter into place. If you are cranking down on the bolts with your socket wrench and are having to force them into place, then you may not have the starter properly aligned with the motor flywheel. Solve the problem by unscrewing the bolts and reinserting the starter.
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8
Reconnect the electrical connection tab leading to the new starter and reconnect the black (negative) battery terminal cable. Crank the Avenger to see whether it starts.
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9
Lower your 1997 Avenger to the ground from the ramps or jack stands.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit dodge challenger prototype image by Jorge Moro from Fotolia.com
