why the ****?!?!?!?!?!?!

SpudH said:

Are the starter motor bolts not allen bolts with round heads?

I distinctly remember cutting a 10mm allen key to make a stud i could get a C-wrench on to take off my starter on top of a mountain

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Yes they are. So bolts with round heads is not the issue as all such allen bolts have round heads. It appears that someone does not have the right tool. But he does indicate they have been rounded out, but that is rare on high tensile bolts.

eightinavee said:

There you go,a couple of good ideas - bit of thought.
When I get a tricky one like that I always think of it as being a life or death situation,being stuck in the Sahara desert.You either stay there and die or think of a way to fix it and drive to the pub - hence surviving.Works for me,there is usually a way around it,few problems are insurmountable.

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I always find driving to the pub to consider the problem works fine. If yu are lucky it wont start to bring yu back and yu stay there. After a while it aint such a problem. Bit difficult in the Sahara tho, a lot easier in Hampshire.

carpy said:

nope, i need this rangey, its my everyday motor, and me and a bunch of other people have spent bloody ages trying to sort this out. why anyone would put a round bolt on anything is beyond me, centre is rounded out so no allen key will work. about redy to throw petrol on the bugger so definitely not using any language that isnt colourful

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Sorry but I'm with Eightinavee here. You don't have to post the language you use at the time to vent your understandable frustration

Just for future reference the allen key is 5/16. You usually have to attach it to a socket extension bar to get access.

cdbanks said:

Just for future reference the allen key is 5/16. You usually have to attach it to a socket extension bar to get access.

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Or it could be 8mm using a 5/16 allen key on it is likely the reason it rounded in the first place. The only UNF bolts i know of on the Range Rover are the propshaft bolts. Unless anyone knows different.

I Guess my range rover could have had replaced bolts on the starter, but the 5/16 did fit.
Another problem is actually accessing the bolts because it is hard to get leverage with an allen key (especially the top bolt), thats why i would consider using an extension bar or two.
I ended up having to extend all the way past the front grill because some genius rattle gunned the bolts on.

cdbanks said:

I Guess my range rover could have had replaced bolts on the starter, but the 5/16 did fit.
Another problem is actually accessing the bolts because it is hard to get leverage with an allen key (especially the top bolt), thats why i would consider using an extension bar or two.
I ended up having to extend all the way past the front grill because some genius rattle gunned the bolts on.

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5/16 will fit. But 5/16 is 7.93mm all that's needed to make it slip if it's not a brand new 5/16 or a slightly worn 8mm Allen bolt. Advice on Allen bolts and Torxlocks for that matter, would be make sure you ALWAYS use the correct size and make sure their fully engaged, if you don't it will end in tears. A set of good quality 3/8 drive Allen sockets is a very good investment. Together with a few long/short extensions and a wobbler.

We had a similar issue trying to get the starter off my 4.6 - in the end we undid the bottom bolt then (whilst on the lift) gave the starter a GOOD smack with a heavy crow bar which shattered the casing of the starter motor, so it dropped off, could then get to the top bolt
Of course this method is a last resort, and you must be replacing the starter motor...

wammers said:

The only UNF bolts i know of on the Range Rover are the propshaft bolts. Unless anyone knows different.

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Maybe on a P38 but not with a Classic. For some strange reason there is a mixture of metric and imperial. Keeps you on your toes.

classic kev said:

Maybe on a P38 but not with a Classic. For some strange reason there is a mixture of metric and imperial. Keeps you on your toes.

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Yeah I think the very early classic had a mix of imperial Whitworth, BSF and unified. Then everything went unified then the metric crap came in. But they have universally used 3/8 unified (9/16 spanner size) for prop bolts.

magictiny said:

We had a similar issue trying to get the starter off my 4.6 - in the end we undid the bottom bolt then (whilst on the lift) gave the starter a GOOD smack with a heavy crow bar which shattered the casing of the starter motor, so it dropped off, could then get to the top bolt
Of course this method is a last resort, and you must be replacing the starter motor...

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good job you didn't buy the new starter on an exchange basis.

My top tip for the starter is the ratcheting C-spanners from Halfords. I've done quite a few with them now, all very successful. Makes getting at the top bolt easy.

Cut an allen key or buy the 3/8 drive allen set but the ratcheting C spanner is the way to go. You can use a nail bar to lever off the body/starter for stubborn ones but because you're applying the force right at the head of the bolt it makes fory very secure spannering.