kfguy Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Hoping someone has had experience removing the starter on this beast.. space is very tight and am wondering how is best to get the starter out?It seems blocked by the 2 oil filters? directly below it...also wondering if it is worth replacing the solenoid first to see if that is the culprit? new batteries{probably could have used them anyway} and still just a clicking at the starter.. banged on starter with hammer and got a slight attempt at start but then nothing but a clicking from starter again.. kind of hard starting for last couple of weeks, leading up to today with no start and clicking noise? Thanks in advance for any advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfguy Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 Hoping someone has had experience removing the starter on this beast.. space is very tight and am wondering how is best to get the starter out?It seems blocked by the 2 oil filters? directly below it...also wondering if it is worth replacing the solenoid first to see if that is the culprit? new batteries{probably could have used them anyway} and still just a clicking at the starter.. banged on starter with hammer and got a slight attempt at start but then nothing but a clicking from starter again.. kind of hard starting for last couple of weeks, leading up to today with no start and clicking noise? Thanks in advance for any adviceanyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j hancock Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Sorry, never worked a Midliner. Don't believe just changing the solenoid will do it but if it is that buried it may be worth a try. Quote JimIt doesn't cost anything to pay attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gmerrill0516 Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 I'd verify everything else first before pulling the starter. Check that the other connections are good and measure voltage in the system. It is possible to get bad batteries at least in theory. The Solenoid should pull in with "authority" if it is working, lubricated and properly powered. The contacts could be pitted/dirty/corroded within the solenoid causing a lack of power to the starter. If it's wimpy change the solenoid and if all else fails you will have to dig in. I have no idea what is involved specifically on your truck.All obvious stuff I guess but worth a walk through to save the hassle of changning the whole thing.Let us know what you find.Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbigrig Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 If I remember correctly some of those CS Midliner starters were pulled up from the doghouse access in the cab not dropped down. I can remember 1 series of CS200 tou had to unbolt the fuel filter housing from the engine block to get the starter in or out. Just leave the fuel filter housing hanging. It all depends on what series of Renault motor your truck was built with. I know a few of the 89 CS's I worked on were tight but totally doable. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfguy Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 If I remember correctly some of those CS Midliner starters were pulled up from the doghouse access in the cab not dropped down. I can remember 1 series of CS200 tou had to unbolt the fuel filter housing from the engine block to get the starter in or out. Just leave the fuel filter housing hanging. It all depends on what series of Renault motor your truck was built with. I know a few of the 89 CS's I worked on were tight but totally doable. Hope that helps. thanks my cs200 is an early build oct.85 and vin # in low 300's . When i crawl under and look up the starter is directly above the 2 {fuel?} filters. IT is entirely possible these are oil filters as well.. can you tell me if i have to unbolt the housing, do i leave the filter installed into it and just drop it down? Also, where is the doghouse access panel located? this is a conventional, i thought the cabover MS series cabs flipped over to access the engine but since i dont have that option Im hoping the doghouse access you are referring to is some kind of floorboard panel i can open..? Would make life a lot easier..if i can get it out, starters are cheap so i would not even bother replacing the solenoid.. thanks for your much needed help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbigrig Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 If your engine has a single valve cover that covers all 6 cylinders then you have the engine I'm thinking about. The 2 filters that are together on one side of the engine (driver side) are the fuel filters on one housing. The Midliners used 1 Mack size oil filter. There are 2 bolts that hold that housing to the block. You will need to removed the fuel filters to remove the filter housing bolts. Once that is dropped out of the way the starter can be dropped down if it's the engine I'm thinking of. If the engine has separate cylinder heads with separate valve covers I may be off on my suggestion. The dog house access on a CS Midliner is the very center panel between the floor and the dash. It is held in by 6 torx screws. On your truck it may have a hump in it. Newer ones have a depression in the panel with an anti slip surface sticker. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfguy Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 If your engine has a single valve cover that covers all 6 cylinders then you have the engine I'm thinking about. The 2 filters that are together on one side of the engine (driver side) are the fuel filters on one housing. The Midliners used 1 Mack size oil filter. There are 2 bolts that hold that housing to the block. You will need to removed the fuel filters to remove the filter housing bolts. Once that is dropped out of the way the starter can be dropped down if it's the engine I'm thinking of. If the engine has separate cylinder heads with separate valve covers I may be off on my suggestion. The dog house access on a CS Midliner is the very center panel between the floor and the dash. It is held in by 6 torx screws. On your truck it may have a hump in it. Newer ones have a depression in the panel with an anti slip surface sticker. Good luckThanks, today i took that panel off[ indented with the anti-slip sticker}.. i can now see the starter more clearly and can access the top 2 bolts.. looks very tight and i dont know if there will be enough room to get it unbolted and clear the hard lines that are down there . also dont know if i will have enough slack in the solenoid wires to be able to pull it up and unwire it.. looks like it is more doable than from underneath, unless unbolting the fuel filter housing will create a path to pull it down ..at least i can reach the top hidden starter bolt from the top though... really not sure which way tom proceed.. looks like finding the filtyer housing bolt would be a nightmare as well...and im assuming removing fuel filters will have a lot of fuel leaking out?? thank you for any more help you can provide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbigrig Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 The bolts are behind the filters. Spin the filters off and you will see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfguy Posted May 9, 2015 Author Share Posted May 9, 2015 The bolts are behind the filters. Spin the filters off and you will see them.Sorry for a dumb question---im not a mechanic--just a handy mechanically inclined person ----but when i spin off the filters , will fuel flow out freely for a bit? Im assuming if truck is not running it couldn't be too much..? Also, when I am all done and replace filters into the housing do the fuel lines have to be purged or can i just spin filters back on and start truck right up? Thank you very much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbigrig Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 Some fuel will come out. Fill the filters and it should almost start right up from where you left it. May stumble a bit but should be ok as long as you refill those filters before you spin them on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfguy Posted May 9, 2015 Author Share Posted May 9, 2015 Some fuel will come out. Fill the filters and it should almost start right up from where you left it. May stumble a bit but should be ok as long as you refill those filters before you spin them on.Thanks very much. i will post my results. I am assuming that going from the bottom and removing filters will give me more room to get wires off of solenoid.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfguy Posted May 9, 2015 Author Share Posted May 9, 2015 Some fuel will come out. Fill the filters and it should almost start right up from where you left it. May stumble a bit but should be ok as long as you refill those filters before you spin them on.Thanks very much. i will post my results. I am assuming that going from the bottom and removing filters will give me more room to get wires off of solenoid.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfguy Posted May 9, 2015 Author Share Posted May 9, 2015 Sorry bbigrig but 1 more question... could it be possible that the starter relay or something of that nature in the fuse panel is bad even though I am getting the starter solenoid to "click" when I attempt to start this thing? I was /am assuming that as long as I am hearing a click at the solenoid, it must be getting power and thus must be a bad starter? Thanks very much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfguy Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Thanks BBIGRIG--- I Did get the starter up and out through the doghouse panel...a complete nightmare, but done.. ordered correct starter and will install when I get it.. You were right , when i took filters off and unbolted the mounting bracket, quite a bit of fuel came out. Ialso had to disconnect the fuel line going into the secondary filter housing top in order to get enough extra "flex" in the filter housing assembly to be able to push the starter down and then up through the access panel.. I pretty sure both or at least the one removed fuel line is completely empty.. do you think this will cause a starting problem for lack of fuel in the lines?{ I will be sure to fill the new filters with fuel before I install them}.. If so , is there a way to prime the fuel system in the midliner?- Thank you for your replies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbigrig Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 There should be a hand primer at the inline 6 Bosch injection pump. It will look like a mushroom. Fill the filters pump it until hard, crank it over and keep the rev's over 1000 for a minute. Should clear it all up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfguy Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Thanks.. I'm assuming you mean the primer bulb mounted to the driver's side of the engine where the fuel lines go in..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfguy Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Thank you BBIGRIG.. Everything went like you said it would. Was a real pain and I hope nobody EVER has to replace one of these ..Very thankful for your help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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