The 30-Minute Starter Job... That Never Happened

Sometimes working on an old VW Bus feels less like fixing a vehicle and more like solving a mystery.

Today's mission seemed simple enough: replace the starter.

Lula has a 1995 Subaru 2.2 engine paired to a VW 3-rib transmission. The original VW starter had been struggling a little with the higher-compression Subaru engine, so I bought a high-performance starter thinking this would be an easy afternoon project.

Famous last words. 😂

The bottom starter bolt came right out. No problem.

The top... not so much.

There was a nut that I just couldn't seem to get a socket on. After taking a video and looking closer, I realized the transmission case has a boss cast into it that keeps the nut from turning. "Aha!" I thought. "The bolt must come out from the engine side."

Back under the bus I went with a whole new level of confidence.

Except...

There was no bolt.

After a lot more staring, scratching my head, and probably inventing a few new words, I finally figured it out.

When the Subaru engine was installed, they put the starter on before mating the engine to the transmission. The Subaru block completely blocks access to that upper bolt.

In other words...

The only way to change the starter is to remove the engine. 🤦‍♂️

So after all that excitement, Lula is still running the same old VW starter she had when the day began.

The good news? I did install a hard-start relay, and it spins the starter much better than before, so the day wasn't a total loss.

Working on these old buses teaches you one thing over and over: every project has a story. Sometimes you fix the problem. Sometimes you solve a mystery. And sometimes the bus politely reminds you that she's still in charge.

Cat and I just laughed, packed up the tools, and added another chapter to the "Life with Lula" book.

One step at a time... one adventure at a time. 🚐❤️

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The 30-Minute Starter Job... That Never Happened