ich bin ein mechanic! - semi-successful starter install!

How will I know when the bushing is kaput though? Will it start stripping the gear if the bushing is worn?

thebignic, as Tim Allan would say, "if it ain't broke, you can probably still fix it."  Let sleeping dogs lie and get on down the road.  That bushing sometimes needs to be replaced, but the only folks who say it should be replaced every time the starter is out are the folks who sell the bushing.  Worst case is when you try to start the car, the starter will not engage the teeth on the flywheel and you will get a nasty grinding sound. 

My guess is your starter stopped working and thats why you changed it.  Unless you had bushing issues before, why would you have bushing issues now?

As for your starter bolts.  You didn't tell us what year and engine you have.  Some of the cars had a top bolt that instead of having a hex on it, it had a round head with a flat on one side.  This went through from the starter side with the nut on the back or engine side.  When you turned the nut, the flat on the head couldn't turn because it was against the starter.  Next time you need to remove the starter, you may want to think about replacing this bolt with one of those, it makes the job a lot simpler.

Also, there is a tool which is a hex that has a magnet in it so it won't fall off.  It has 2 legs, one long, about 2 1/2 to 3 inches and one short about an inch.  You wiggle up there and put this on that top bolt and it holds the bolt in place while you turn the nut on the other end.

Some of the late engines didn't have a nut on the engine side.  They just had a threaded boss that was part of the case.  In this instance you just have to deal with that hard to get to bolt.

The bushing I was talking abuot was for the end of the starter shaft..... still... uhm... interesting post. 

I cant understand you about 90% of the time Sean, but it makes for a fantastic read.

The starter bolt I was talking about *was* the crescent shaped head, against the starter.   I don see how that makes anything easy, as every time I went to thread the nut on from the engine bay (which was at best, agonizingly uncomfortable) with vice grips (no socket would fit in bewteen fan housing and this nut) the bolt would slide back through the hole.  thats why I had to put chewing gum on the flat end of it and stick it to the starter... else, how do you get the nut threaded on that little bugger?

the only reason i found out it WAS a crescent shaped head was by putting my digital camera up there, because for the life of me, I could NOT figure out what it was just by feeling. I thought "has someon just stripped this nut SO bad I cant even identify how big it is?  its completley ROUND on parts and JAGGED on others!  @#$#@!"

But, lesson learned.  I also think I need a larger jack because with only a foot of clearance, its hard to get any reasonably useful part of my body into the cavity to work on that starter.

sean, I don't know about all that put it in and take it out and wiggle it stuff.  I never heard of that while doing an engine.  A blond or two maybe, not never an engine!

The front side (meaning front of car side) of the engine has a flange that aligns the engine to the bell housing.  This is what centers the engine to the input shaft.  If it's turned a little, it won't matter as long as it is centered.  but as for turning, it can only go a millimeter or two.

My belief on this threaded bushing is that it was easier and cheaper on the assembly line.  Didn't need that 3 cent nut any more.  Saved VW lots of money with the millions of cars they made.  Also took less time for the guy on the assembly line to put it in and tighten it up.

bignic, I forgot, we used to have a big strong magnet that we would put on the starter after that crescent headed bolt was installed.  It would keep the bolt from pushing out while trying to get the nut on.  I remember one time the magnet was missing for a long time.  We found it when we took the engine back out about a year and a half latter.  It had stayed on the starter all that time.

Hmmm cant understand 90 per cent of what I say ??
Yeah well tell ya same thing's I tell my Kidd's .
   Dont have too understand me just do it my way !!!
As too bubble Gumm or duct tape ?
   I just hold my finger on the back of it <<, Mean's dont put front engine tinn on before you tighten the motor up . <<< This mean's dont stabb motor's turn key . << this mean's dont ripp the engine compartment rubber stabbin motor turn key etc. etc. and so on and so on .
   Gotta be quick too keep up !
  Now Dr scope I almost bought that explanation but have too question the price of a threaded bushing ??????? LMAO
   But nice try !
Still it'd be nice if we could get the scoop on this !
  But Im just gonna point out that both the top bell houseing bolt's are special bolt's .
The 14mm bolt you find on the driver's side of the bell houseing is not the right bolt .
   Instead it is the usual bolt found on most Bugg's cause some body lost the right bolt !
  I have 2 Bugg's with right bolt's in them .
Ifn memory serve's me correctly it is a 17mm headed long shoulder bolt .
  Not the 14 mm headed or 15 mm bolt typically found in most Volkswagen's because some body lost the right bolt ?
  Least this is my understanding of it .
  I will ask my machinist next time im in the shop .
He is pretty knowledgeable on Vw change's and part's and qaulity control policy's of the VW factories .<<< Meaning what they did or didnt do etc. etc.
  Cant understand me ???
Go figure !
Gett's me in more fist fight's , and argument's with cousin Jethro ????
  LMAO>>> What'd he just say ?
I think he implied your kinda slow and few other thing's, about your parent's Im still trying too process ???
  LMAO Imma teasin !
E=MC2 <<< Definate end too the conversation with the Blonde at the Bar !
  Wait I am the blonde at the Bar ???????????
Yipper's Cousin Jethro love's his blonde joke's !
  There so much funnier, when told by some one with no teeth , wearin a NASCAR T- shirt !
  Easy on the blonde's !
I am blonde from a whole family of blonde's, or Red head's !
  I am a 1st born Son ! <<< Clue too my heritage ! <<< Mean's I really hate blonde joke's !
There just naught funny !
They rate right up there with the Porsche motor in a Vw story !
  How many version's of this story , do you have too suffer thru , before youve heard them all ????
  Im Tired , and my battle ax need's a sharpening !
                                                                Good Night Sean !