Hi, wonder if someone could help, I managed to crack my piston on my 99 so decided to replace it, bought a 98 engine looked exactly the same until I came to fit it, seems my 99 gearbox bellhousing has 6 Bolt holes and the Engine has only 4, i've been told they are interchangerable and the two seem to mate fine, my problem is my starter motor, on my old engine the two bolts holding the started motor on went through the gearbox housing and into the back of the engine housing, on my new engine only one of the bolt holes exists on the engine, is there anyway I can attach the second bolt?

 

The easiest way is to tap the gearbox 12mm and open up the starter hole.

 

Starter motor will be fine on just the one bolt.

 

Its got 2 for a reason IMHO, using 1 is just plain rough...............

 

And your ment to be building project p2. After being used a few times the starter will twist (only small amount) enough to slacken ( 1 bolt). Fit it properly mate. Best of luck on your build and skullfudges build daz.

 

I did write a proper sh*tty reply to this with a few expletives but quite frankly I can't be arsed.

Whilst I admit that threading and tapping the block is best practice it is not overly necassary or indeed that straight forward, especially if the engine has already been put back in the car.

The design of the starter motor prevents it from moving once it's bolted into position (even with just the one bolt). The starter motor also disengages from the flywheel once the engine is started so it's not doing anything once the engine is started and certainly has no stress on it.

Let's also not forget it worked perfectly with one bolt on the earlier engine when subaru designed it that way although the earlier gearboxes had a locating peg too.

I'm also speaking from experience here I had to do this very thing and only used one bolt and I ran the car like that for six months without issue. It was just one of those things I didnt get round to putting right but as I said it was fine for the six months I left it that way and never caused me an issue or needed re tightening once.

You could knock a peg through both the gearbox and starter motor holes which will help keep the starter in position.

Plenty of well known names/tuners on here have just used one bolt and nothing else without issue too.

As for questioning my standards well that's up to you. Initially I did bite (I'm assuming that was your intention) but I decided to write a politer reply than my usual go f*ck yourself manner.

As for the quality of my work, P2 and mine will speak for themsleves when they are finished.

Now stop talking out of your **** there's a good little girl

 

I like yer style daz. Get yer finger oot and get them built then....