I am trying to take the starter off on my 94 SE to have it tested and there seems to be a couple of plastic shields in the way of the starter bolts. One of the shield seems to be for flywheel access and I can get it out of the way, but there is another shield that covers the starter bolts. What a pain. Can't see how it comes off.

Am I going about this the wrong way?

Yeah, there are a couple of 10mm bolts holding those little plastic flywheel covers. The back cover comes right off, but after both bolts are removed, the front cover needs a little twist to help get it out. Just keep fiddlin' with it - it will come. Then you can get the two big bolts. You will, of course want to disconnect the negative battery cable before you begin, so you don't inadvertently become part of the starter circuit.

Really, I had a friend whose wedding ring got caught between the positive battery connection to the starter and ground. The gold made a perfect conductor for all the current the battery could send as a direct short, heating his ring to red hot and burning his finger to the bone. Not a pretty thing, so...disconnect the battery before you begin.

Good point on the battery disconnect - that is always the first thing I do with any significant engine work. I have made my own fireworks displays a few times in the past.

Anyway, thanks for the info - I will take another shot at it tomorrow. I have to wonder how easy it will be to get the second shield back on (or can it be left off?).

I changed the starter on my 93 SSEi a couple years ago and I don't remember having any problems...

Best to put them both back on. It seems like they go on a lot easier than they come off. Just keep in mind that you will have to twist it to get it back in, too.

That front one is fun. I'm all for putting alll the parts back on..but theres one that probably needs the engine/trans to be off the subframe to put back.

I called it weight reduction

Well, I finally got under there and changed the starter. The shield that is wedged in there - well, it sort of disintegrated when it came out.

Had to shim the new started, but other wise it was a fairly easy job...

Way to go!