Starter kaput, is it possible to take off without lifting a bus?

[lunohod1]

Hey folks, I got a bus:

And here is the sticky starter:

For some reason it stuck, knocking on it a little bit help. But I tired going under the bus and knocking on it Once you turn the key, you pretty much good for the rest of the day. The next morning the same routine - jump under the bus, knock, and so on.

Seems like stuck solenoid. Starter looks new, but probably Chinese. I made few pics.

I'm planning to clean this up, but I'm wondering if it's possible without removing the wheel. Is it only two screws that hold it?

I live in apartment building, and don't have my own shop. So don't have anything to lift it with. Also, ideally not planning to collect stuff. So highly interested in replacing (cleaning) starter without lifting the bus.

If it's not possible, what would be my minimalistic and safe setup? Some kind of tool(s) to lift up the bus, and at the same time use safety jack? I'm very careful about picking tools, so if I'm buying them, I'm buying them for life. What would be the right set of tools to lift up the bus and do some work underneath?

(assuming I have all the wrenches I need)

Also, any advice about started removal and putting it back is highly appreciated!

[Mberglo]

Remove lower nut from the underside of the bus. The top bolt goes through the firewall into the engine compartment. You take the nut off from the engine compartment and pull the specialty bolt out from under the bus. Disconnect battery before you R&R starter.

[vwwestyman]

If you're small enough and somewhat agile, it is certainly possible to crawl under a bus to replace the starter.

Another option for a few inches of room is pulling the right side of the Bus up onto a curb.

I hope you mean jack STAND not just a jack for safety. Getting under a vehicle supported only by a jack (of any kind) is not safe at all. You need to have a jack STAND holding the Bus up.

Ramps are a good safe option for raising a vehicle, and they're likely lighter if you're carrying your tools up and down sets of stairs at the apartment building, but they are bulky and a little less versatile, i.e. you can't really remove a tire using them. But when all you need to do is make the vehicle higher, they are more convenient.

A jack and STANDS is more versatile but sometimes less convenient and possibly heavier to lug up and down stairs. Probably takes up a bit less storage room in the apartment.
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[busdaddy]

X2 on running one side of the bus up on the curb, or jack it up and lay the spare tire under the RR wheel, then let the bus down on that.

There's some funny wiring going on under there, that red cable going to the battery terminal on the starter looks awful thin, unless it's a power supply for a relay mounted elsewhere it may be the cause of your lazy starter.

Disconnect the battery before performing any starter work, big sparks and fires can result if you don't.
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[airschooled]

[timvw7476]

If you can fit behind the steering wheel, you can crawl under the bus to change the starter. VW really gave some thought to it when they engineered the ergonomics on these things.

[a-marshal]

[SGKent]

I've swapped a starter once in a parking lot when I was 30ish and a lot thinner. It was 110F outside, hardest part was waiting for the pavement to cool before I could slide under it. Pull one battery cable off first. That doesn't look like any VW bus starter I have seen.

[my59]

It's doable. You will want to have organized tools in arm reach, as weasling in and out to get the right wrench is.....tedious, to put it nicely.
With such a spanking clean starter, see if the starter bushing is as clean. Often they don't get changed as they should and cause issues.
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[Abscate]

[ToolBox]

There are several other things to check before you replace that starter and have the same issue. You need to find the root cause of the problem and not start throwing parts at it. That looks like the high torque starters sold in the aftermarket, most made by Denso.

Start checking connections, battery cables, ignition switch, grounds and do voltage drop checks along the way.

[vacca_rabite]

The starter looks different because it is.
It is one of the hi-torque starters. They share a fit with one of the japanese cars (I can't recall which any more), they are somewhat cheap and usually last a long time. I've been using one since 2007 or so on my TIV. They also spin the motor a lot faster on startup then the stock starters, and weigh a good bit less.

Its pretty common to put a starter relay in there too, which would explain the thin wire. But even so, that wire does seem pretty thin for the application.

Zach
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[lunohod1]

So folks. Yesterday I had the trouble of starting the bus (not a surprise, cos it's the same every day in the morning). I jumped under the bus, knocked the starter a few times with a wooden stick. Bus started. The same routine.

Then I took off the starter, and cleaned this up. I put this on, and it was okay for the rest of the day. Today I tried to start the bus again, and after cleaning the starter it's the same thing - I can't start the bus in the morning!!! So upset, don't know what to do now.

[OB Bus]

Can't help you much on the starter other than we have had over 10 years of good service from a hot start relay.
Just wait until you start asking about that center mount Progressive.
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[airschooled]

Did you fix your battery ground strap yet?
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[busdaddy]

X2 on the battery cable.
Every one of those starters I've had sticking, or going click when you turn the key has a dirty solenoid plunger, or super pitted contacts in the solenoid.

Take that cover with the 3 hex headed screws off, all the action goes on under that.

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[SGKent]

normally a "whack the starter to start problem" is caused by a sticking or worn out solenoid. Adding a hot start relay is like putting a cork in a leaking dam. It will fix the problem for awhile, but the actual problem is still there. If one measures success by not getting wet then putting a cork in the leak will keep you dry... for a while.
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[mikedjames]

Under the three hex head screws are the high current contacts which are burnt by all the current flowing when the engine starts.

The bit that you are taking photographs of, and have been cleaning around is the bearing for the motor itself.
At the other end, away from the flywheel where the heavy cable goes in will be the brushes for the motor : these could be worn.

What happens is that the initial pull-in of the contactor relay relies on there being a good circuit through the motor : if the brushes of the motor are not making good contact, the whack with the hammer jolts them into making better contact..
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