E28 Starter Motor Removal

["Chris Northover" <chris.northover@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Someone was having trouble getting the upper nut from the starter motor off
recently (M20 Motor). Someone else suggested maybe cold chiselling it off,
and replacing.  Well yes, it is a hard one to get off, unless you happen to
be taking out the gearbox;  then, you simply leave it till last, put your
socket onto the bolt and turn.  The gearbox will fall back (don't let it
hang!) keeping tension on the nut allowing you to unscrew it most or all of
the way.

It is getting the nut back on that is the really difficult bit, and as I
will be doing this again myself soon, I have been thinking.  How about when
I get the gear box out, I weld a cam shaped washer onto the nut, so that it
won't be able to turn, and simply tighten it using a socket on the bolt from
the rear?  I suppose sod's law would suggest that if I did do this, I would
never have to take out the starter again, but that's not so bad either...
Anyone tried this?  Is there an easier way?

Chris Northover, Pukerua Bay, New Zealand

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