I would heat them up, then spray them with WD-40... don't breathe the smoke. Do that 3-5 times, and it will pull some oil into the gap between screws and housing.

Alternatively, you can use an impact driver - the kind you hit with a hammer. I bought mine from Harbor Freight on sale for like $8. You can find replacement 3/8" bits from Napa auto parts.

Hi,

I've taken a half dozen apart and never had any trouble by using a cheap impact driver that I bought many years ago from JC Whitney. Besides starters it's come in handy for numerous other jobs.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ABN-Reversible-Hand-Held-Impact-Driver-and-Impact-Screwdriver-Bits-Set/233227854354?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item364d76a212:g:unEAAOSwIVdeM208&amdata=enc%3AAQAFAAACgBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%252Fn%252BzU5L90Z278x5ickkai8xCwosGKpC0NWj85e%252FB%252BnChujXSFpjlcplA7%252BzfzETD0TFVBC3ewSgVhEVVSHJP4ObTEAkDmQO5CcmBQKvafqai4rZA4OTm2C%252FyNakR0ofFw7urwWBTL7DBhzjASWVgemdCW9cSFzfw5sTL2JDzkjlcCbNCy%252F%252BT1Gdkpo71y9oB%252F5Ov8a1Hrs7dk3YiF2IShpI4xGrCY60%252FRtwtd9XpeJIYpQFfPIQQG9H%252FZzN%252FsCulXahtHNACCLAynnEMYLau7t57BzJi9q22jJBnmIoE21eXBArE%252FF4JFDEA5lrjYZ8H2JKJrTN4eibsKq79mCo4jhtQ4MuYJTIolm3E05swAhzbH6ri5qFkkPhZdO7IB9cpqlD8v7xynJP8V7BDYvA3m6WQuJlH4uCbsTbwImrY3MWU1V5FlTd2txB0u%252FdN5hGYyo5%252FdTxMZBbtQ6c0kcFHNtWRnQwRFo7YmNGkpP8PxldpJMAiw0iuxxujLKHTwof9iDZhFT9VAqBcjvnSqIW7wpaR8snJ%252By%252FET0EGNb72NjmmIDza3o%252BSPp0bnwwG2GCYcQRaBKGQs4ZbhLpHDSbYv5dukD9RhUA4Vn2cxjLJ%252FwLEzOn6usBz7K9Oa5CXhW33a36a8u%252BjrgRQ%252FLVA7I1gsl1%252Bv3RMEiOUBfQnASJbt1%252ByRMIzuCB%252ByDupmRCNogQok9IOStDAJHm63CBj2XNiEyvauZbmqHDlNkd11Ts7njVzMaARyEXxLo644%252BbcxRutZ%252BrHfzWF1psUTHoHSmpGuLA4qmAF543wDwfH5IXDWLDFa5VnRUxk%252Bdrh1zHTxU%253D%7Ccksum%3A23322785435430bb08dd07154bc6b10017c6d113f4e4%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2334524

Peter

Thanks all for good suggestions but I think I'm throwing in the towel. Those screw slots are pretty shallow and I fear tearing them even with a good fitting screw driver with a square shaft. The aluminum starter frame has just clearance holes and the treads are in the solenoid. So I thought about just hack sawing the solenoid off and the screw studs coming out with it.

However, there's just too many things that don't look good in this starter. The commutator looks warn way down and the large bearing just behind the starter gear has what look like crimped on covers so you can't clean it out and put in fresh grease. The new brushes have solder leads but the starters' appear to be spot welded on the the brush holder and field coil and crimped into the brushes. Leads could be spliced I guess.

I believe this is the original starter and so has 300+ Kmiles. I rebuilt the engine at 200k but not the starter. So I'll turn it in for the $10 core value on a "re-manufactured" one at the local auto parts store. Its a Bosch# 0 001 311 103 (NLA). I found parts at marineengine.com and a new substitute at obbstartersandalternators.com. A good rebuild video at
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=3tN3vhIW3Fc.

Make sure you are using a large screwdriver that is an absolute PERFECT fit in the slot- no slop, no movement..

It needs to be a screwdriver with a hex handle and match that handle up with the correct size box end wrench.

Get a helper to hold the assembly in place and apply downward force on the screwdriver while you tension the screwdriver with the box end wrench.

Once everything is in place and under tension strike the end of the screwdriver with a heavy hammer.

Good luck,
Randy
--
Any twenty minute job is just a broken bolt away from a three day ordeal

Not much room to work there. I was going to suggest a screwdriver bit socket if you can find one with a long enough bit. Then use a long breaker bar. You'd want someone to hold the starter while you wail away on the breaker. If it still won't free up use a long piece of pipe over the breaker for more leverage.

Or maybe the cheaper alternative of the biggest pair of vise grips you can find clamped tightly to the shaft of that screwdriver in the pic. Might not work but it's worth a try.


--
'79 242, '84 DL 2 door, '80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon, '15 XC70 T6 AWD

try one of those Lith-Bat pac
Carpentry Drill/Drivers (DeWalt etc)
or if no joy there --- same builder line -- impact driver.

IF you have those tools for working on your house.

After soaking with a dab of Fluid Film for few days...it will migrate to some of the threads