Ok your 4.6 ltr North Star is acting up and will not start intermittently. Example you turn the key and every thing works but the starter does not turn. It is the STARTER. Don’t Look for anything else. IT IS THE STARTER.
To change the starter looks scary as hell but it is actually easy.
Step one remove the air cleaner box and the duct to the air intake. The Mass Air Flow sensor is that black thing at the end of the engine where the duct is attached.
Remove the engine cover. It has 4 nuts holding it on. Now remove the long black plastic line that is running from left to right (facing the engine) put is aside. Disconnect the two vacuum lines on the back side right side. Straight down from there you will see a nut holding the fuel line just remove that nut. It will be important later. Now remove the spark plug wires – label them or make sure that the numbers that are on OEM plug wires is there so you can put them back later.
Remove the 10 bolts that hold the intake to the block. They are not tight and can be removed with a nut driver or a socket. Note, that the four nuts that you took off earlier that held the engine cover on were attached to 4 of the 10 bolts you are removing.
Now you should be able to lift the intake manifold up a little. Look at the fuel delivery lines to the fuel injectors next to the Power Steering pump (Left Side) you will see a thin wire attached to a steel tube (part of the fuel lines) this is a ground you will need to remove the bolt that is holding it.
Now you will be able to lift the manifold from the left side
Now you should be able to lift the manifold up 8 to 10 inches from the left side the right side will be held down by all the stuff attached to the throttle body. This should be enough for you to get the starter out.
Now you should be able to see the starter and remove it. Only two bolts hold it in. Remove them – the pull the starter back to you left pull it up and hold it on the valve cover and remove the nuts holding the wiring on to the solenoid.
Take the starter to a parts house and have it tested --- if it is bad replace it. My starter had a bad solenoid. So I replaced the whole thing. Now just do everything in reverse and starte the car and drive away.
It took me less than two hours not including taking the starter to AutoZone. Good Luck.
Ok so i was wrong --- torque to 7.4 lbs. NOT 20 as stated earler.
Also don't forget to remove the gasket (reusable) and clean it with break or carb cleaner and clean the block and the manafold then re install.
How do i know this ---- i did it wrong first. The car ran ok for days then it decided that every sensor was defective or reading bad things. it took days to figure out that i had vacuum leak throught he ill fitting gasket. now it is fixed.
Procedure worked fine on '98 DeVille. Disconnect the battery before you start. Plan on keeping trash and tools out of the intakes once you pull the head.
