97 SL1, changing the starter, followed the advice in the sticky https://www.saturnforum.com/forum/sa...s-saturn-2947/, did manage to get the "hidden" hard-to-reach one of the two main bolts started, but both main bolts are extremely hard to turn in, much harder than came out. Took out and inspected, no evidence of cross-threading. I guess it's just an issue of some grit of some kind having gotten into the threads, and I should just turn harder? Will put some oil on them and see if that helps. Any advice? Thanks--

 

Run the bolts through a die, working your way back and forth to clean out any crud from the threads. Make sure you choose the correct die. If there is any significant resistance, it is likely the wrong die. If it starts to cut threads in the bolt that already has threads, stop as it is the wrong die.

If this is successful, try to do the same with the corresponding tap in the threaded holes in which these bolts sit. Again, be very careful as to choose the correct tap which matches the die and be sure you start the tap square to the hole so that you do not begin to cross thread it. Work the tap in, going forwards and backwards then forwards again to get all the way through. You may meet some resistance with this, just spin the tap back out to ensure you are not cutting new threads..

it is probably only the second starter in the life of the car, so a lot of corrosion can get knocked loose when you remove bolts that are partially corroded in place. The only place for that corrosion to land when you're taking the boat out is either in the threads of the bolt or the complementary threads of the hole itself.

Take home message is don't force anything and if you are not sure, back the tap or the die off and reassess.

I would not put oil in the holes as you are trying to reach a fixed torque value at the end of the day, so you do not want any lubricant in there hanging around. If it is visibly caked with rust, spray some PB blaster in there and let it set for 10 or 15 minutes, then clean out.

 

Thank you, sounds like good advice --

 

Didn't see visible corrosion on the bolt, was apprehensive about using a tap and possibly getting mis-aligned. Was able to get bolts in by repeatedly backing out and advancing. Took a very long time! No doubt the advice above would have been the right way to handle the situation, very much appreciated. Now I'll find out whether changing the starter solved the problem --

 

You basically performed The same operation except all of that crud is still in the threads
Life goes on.

Please stop back and let us know how it went / goes.