As "It Rolls" noted it is "Festivus" for the rest of us!

Completed on my back in 28F cold on the ground with one sheet of cardboard!

Thanks to all. I would not give up and managed to get that upper bolt out and replaced the starter. Hopefully when I thaw out I will be able to reconnect the electrical leads and crank it over.

Prior to starting the process as suggested and I had thought of I used a liberal amount of PB blaster and then cut a 1/2 steel rod to a length that I could position it on the external bolt threads near the starter nose flange. I hit it with a hammer a few time and repeated the same from the under side on the bolt head end. I had thought that this might break the chemical oxidation bond and help ease it out.


I used the 3/8 short impact socket with a universal swival connected to a 3/8 to 1/2 union and about 15" of 1/2" extensions with a 1/2 ratchet. After getting the socket to fit as snug as possible I tried a few times using care not to leverage on the trans sump, no success. Then I went for it withh the rachet leveraged on the trans sump and used a good stiff punch. It broke loose.

After getting both bolts out the starter itself would not budge so I whacked it with a rubber coated hammer from the bottom and eventually it broke loose from the rusted engine machined flange. A few more hits and it came loose.

I wire brused the machined flange and internal area as well and then spayed WD 40 over the entire starter nose area and machined surface. I then coated the starter flange threads with anti seize as well as the nose flange.

Thanks to all for your assistance and encouragement.

Farm Boy helped and kept us laughing with his posting of the solution using the 12 guage shotgun.

The fun of keping the 24x's alive and well. We all love it when we can get the job done!