Since you have to go somewhere to buy them anyway, the fastest, easiest, and least expensive would be to get them from a salvage yard. You'll be assured they're the right thread pitch, length, and hardness. There's a lot of pick-your-own-parts yards popping up all over. One chain I'm familiar with is "Pull-A-Part". You can do an internet search of their inventory at multiple cities. They can't tell you colors, options, what is wrong with any vehicle, or which parts have been removed or damaged, just which years and models they have on the yard. Their yards are very clean and well-organized. There's also a real good chance you'll find a car with the starter already removed, but they left the bolts behind.
If you visit a yard where you are not allowed in by the cars, they likely will have removed the starter but thrown the bolts into a scrap metal bucket. You may need to dig through that or ask them to save you some bolts the next time they dismantle one with that engine.
The only other way to get the right bolts is to visit the dealer's parts department. They might have a listing of the size, but we normally just go by the application. Often you'll find the diameter is larger right under the head. That is done to force the unit to center itself during installation. You'll never find a bolt like that at any hardware store.
Dec 27, 2023 at 4:53 PM
