94 Crown Vic Starter Bolts

I am working on my Dad's 94 Crown Vic with the 4.6 modular motor in it. It was driving fine one day, had nothing at all the next. Battery is showing strong and when using a DVM, doesn't show any internal problems.

Went to pull the starter to get it tested and I got the bottom bolt out with very little issues, removed the selenoid to get the second bolt out. But I can feel there is a third bolt on the top and inside a little bit, anyway I try- I can't get a visual fix on it. Is there a secret to getting it out or do I just have to get a 10 mm wrench in there and get it out a quarter turn at a time after I get it to break loose?

I have been fighting with this starter for about a total of 7 hours now and have about lost my patience. Any help or suggestions you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

If you have the solenoid off, get a wobble end extension that is just a little longer than the starter and use your ratchet and extension to remove the bolt. You have the hard one to remove already. Hope this helps you.

Thanks for the advice ... its exactly what I needed. Got the starter off, and tested good. Wound up being the ignition switch was bad. Well, at least for today thats all. The way his luck has been with the car lately it will have a new issue tomorrow or soon enough.

Glad you got it. We will be here. Thanks for posting the fix for it.

UPDATE !!!!!!!!

First off, found ignition switch to be part of the issue. I now had all components working properly with the key in its place.

Secondly, I found a differnt way to get the middle bolt out without pulling the selonoid. Using a shallow socket, short wobble extension, and universal at the end by the ratchet. You put them together in that order, leave the socket all the way against the wobble put it up in place then rotate the ratchet back over to the center of the car. When you move the ratchet back to the center keep one hand on the rest of the monstrosity so that it doesn't come off the bolt. Then it comes right out with no issues. Lower bolt comes out with just a short wobble, upper bolt comes out with the six inch wobble and alot of patience.

Also what I found to be the cause of all the work I have listed above is the wiring loom rubs as it comes down by the a/c unit to go underneath the motor. I pulled mine up from the bottom and completely unfastened it from the wheelhouse to find the spot and fix it. Then went in and insulated the rub after filing it down a bit. I am getting ready to put the starter back into the car and get it out of my garage.