Quoted from Rogue

^ I'm not sure what that port actually does

I wonder if it is a thermal expansion port?  As the starter motor has to generate a lot of torque, the gears heat up and the there needs to be venting of the air within the housing?  Just a thought.

Quoted from scdevon

Yes. Nice job. The replacement contacts have more contact area and should last longer. Just FYI, it shouldn't matter if the contact touches the wire in the upper part of the photo since the wire is in electircal contact with the copper contact anyway. The plunger connects the 2 copper contacts across the starter solenoid. That's what operates the starter. Great pics.

The main problem was that the contacts weren't sitting flush against that area because of the wire.  I didn't want to put pressure on that wire or break it, hence the notch.

Quoted from datsa

I wonder if it is a thermal expansion port?  As the starter motor has to generate a lot of torque, the gears heat up and the there needs to be venting of the air within the housing?  Just a thought.

No, that pic was of the intake manifold.  There's a smaller, fifth port on the end of the IM nearest the distributor.  I think someone at TN said it was part of the EGR system.

What you're describing sounds like the small cylindrical thing next to the rubber cover that I coated with liquid electrical tape.  I also coated that cylinder, whatever it is.

Holy crap this thread turned into a goldmine!!

Thanks for all the info i have been dragging my feet about getting started on mine but this is great motivation

OK, so I started working on the all trac tonight.. didn't get very far at all since I'm beat from work. I have the airbox and tubing off, but even so I can barely even see the starter much less get to the bolts to get it out. I will go out and start moving around those heater hoses tomorrow to see if that helps at all.

Seems like taking off the intake manifold would make things easier, even if there is more work involved..

I think you're supposed to disconnect the negative battery cable before messing with the starter... make sure you do that!  The two bolts holding the starter in, one is accessed near the distributor (I believe it was behind a hose or wire loom), and the other is facing the other way, meaning the head of the bolt is under the intake manifold.  Someone at TN drew up a diagram that helped...

Nice pic.  Also, this view is rear-view facing forward.  You may need to disconnect the signal cable that goes to the center differential.

To find the starter, after removing the air cleaner, reach under from the driver's side with your right hand: you should feel a cylinder just under the intake manifold.  That is the starter main gear housing.  The attached starter solenoid housing is facing down and more towards the front, tucked between the engine block and the starter OSGR housing.  I'll look around for some pics.