The starter motor on your 1998 Oldsmobile 88 is the central point of your car's ignition system. The starter motor initializes the crankshaft, which runs the engine. If your starter is failing, your car may start hard or not at all. Most auto parts stores will test the starter. If you determine that the starter is the source of the problem, purchase a new one from an auto parts store or Oldsmobile dealership and install it yourself.
Remove the negative battery cable from the battery terminal with a wrench. Place the cable in a safe location away from the terminal.
Raise your Oldsmobile 88 using a jack and secure the car on a set of jack stands. Be sure the jack stands are level so that they do not shift while you are working on the car.
Remove the electrical connections from the starter motor. There are two connections to remove, so it may help to tag them so that you know the proper attachment points for each one when you reassemble the starter.
Remove the upper and lower mounting bolts from the starter motor, using a socket and ratchet, working from underneath the vehicle. Support the starter body when removing the bolts to prevent it from falling. Remove the starter from the engine compartment carefully.
Position the new starter motor and secure it with the mounting bolts. Torque the mounting bolts to 32 foot-lbs. with a torque wrench. Reattach the electrical connections and torque the bolts to 12 foot-lbs. with a torque wrench.
Raise the car with a jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground. Reattach the negative battery cable and test the new starter.
