This forum has helped me so much with my Odyssey. I would like to contribute back some content which may be helpful to others.

I have a 1997 Honda Odyssey, 4 cylinders. Recently, my starter is failing and needs to be replaced. I am not a mechanic, but simply a cheap guy who can't afford to pay expensive dealer work to maintain or repair my car. So I have tried to do as much as I can on my own. And this time, I have successfully replaced the starter.

I find that books like Haynes and Chilton are quite limited in their directions for the DIY. They don't tell you where to look for the bolts, or what to move out of the way to access the parts. So I hope my step-by-step write-up on how I removed and replaced my Odyssey starter would supplement the repair book instruction for fellow DIYs who use this forum.

First of all, the starter is accessed in the engine compartment under the hood. It is located on the Left side beneath the distributor wires, the radiator hose, the A/C lines, and a bunch of wire harness. At first glance, it seems daunting to get to it and take it out. But don't be discouraged. It is relatively easy if some of the stuffs are moved out of the way first. It is held by only 2 bolts, and only 2 wire cables need to be disconnected before the whole thing can be taken out. The whole thing consists of the starter motor and the solenoid together in one assembly.

1) I disconnect the battery cables and remove the battery and its plastic container. This gives me room to work on the starter motor wire cables.

2) Detach the 4 distributor wires from the distributor cap and move them out of the way. I labelled them so I can re-attach them properly afterward.

3) Remove the clamp on the starter that holds the radiator hose. It is held with a 10mm bolt. The black starter wire is also attached to this clamp.

4) Remove the S clamp that holds the radiator hose at the rear of the engine. This will allow the radiator hose to be moved out of the way easily.

5) Now the 2 wires attached to the starter are clearly visible. The thicker Red wire is attached to the B terminal of the solenoid by a nut. Remove the rubber dust cover to expose the nut. Unscrew the nut to take the wire off. The thinner wire is black. It is attached to the S terminal and can simply be removed but pulling it off the blade type terminal.

6) With the wires disconnected, the next step is to remove the 2 bolts holding the starter-solenoid assembly in place. Both are 14mm. The one in the front is shorter and is easily visible and accessible. The one in the rear is longer and is not visible. It is hard to get at. I use a small mirror to guide a 14mm socket attached to an extension onto the bolt. With a little patience, it can be removed.

7) The starter-solenoid assembly comes right off when the 2 bolts are removed. Turn it approx 90 degree clockwise positioning the solenoid part inferiorly. This makes it easier to work it out of the small tight space. I removed the bracket that holds the accelerator cable to give me more room. That bracket is held with a 10mm bolt.

Putting the new one in is the reverse of the procedure and is always easier because once I succeeded in taking it out, I don't have any more doubts whether or not I can do the job myself. That confidence always make the job much easier and faster. It took me approximately one hour to take out the old starter, and 15 minutes to put the new one back in.

I hope this write-up will be able to help other DIYs feel confident that they can do this job themselves.