??? Starter Bolts

[Wiserangel]

94 Jeep Cherokee SE 2.5L 4Cylinder Manual Transmision

Need to remove the starter and the bolts are not your normal bolts they look something like a torch bit as if it may take an E12 but none of those work either. Tried standard and metric sizes and nothing fits it. Only suggestion Ive seen so far on the net says to use a bolt extractor. Really hoping to avoid having to go that route. Its not a 14mm or a 15mm either tried that. I hate buying a whole set of tools I dont need just to remove these bolts.

Anyone else run into this problem or have any idea what to use?

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Should be external torx, otherwise try a 12pt socket.

 

[lambo]

Count the pts and go to hardware store they have 11pts 12pts 13pts its a big PITA but owell they do it on purpose I swear. I had to special order a 9mm hex bit because every set they sell is missing the 9mm Go figure. I was told some manufacturers do this so the average Joe would not have the tool to fix things themselves hence pay the dealer to do it.

 

[Wiserangel]

Thank you guys...

Turns out the bolt head on the starter bolts are an outer torqs bit head... an E- something? Not sure of the exact size. Its a 6 point head on the bolt but all the sockets my husband had wouldnt work...

He ended up picking up a 3/8 drive bolt extractor set for $20
(the E sockets for the bolts were $50 for the set- figured extractor set was just as easy...wasnt putting the original bolts back in anyway. lol )
Used the 5/16" on the one bolt it went on just fine.The other bolt was just barely too big had to tap it on... to take it off but it worked like a charm!

(didnt have to replace the starter, the starter had to be moved in order to get to the bolts & remove the oil pan so we could replace the tensioner, timing chain set & harmonic balancer.)

Hope that helps anyone else that might run into the same problem with the starter bolts.

Thank you again for the help though we greatly appreciate it.

 

[drivers]

So i just finished changing the starter in my 97 tj, and to confirm.... the bolts are a 3/8" x 4" with a inverted tourqus head. I used some advice from here and just used a bolt extractor to get them out then replaced them with a grade 8 regular bolt seemed to do the trick well. now i can get it out of my garage and clean up all the mud that has fell off it lol
Thanks for the info guys/gals