[s-cars] Replacing starter - helpful tricks?

[Tom Winter]

Well it's shaping up to be an interesting spring.

First my serpentine belt and the frozen tensioner, now the starter.

It "started" making funny noises a couple of days ago and now is kaput. I
had the exact same symptoms with a 4000 that I used to own. Bad sounds, but
still enough to get me going then the inevitable rolling starts and also
inventible shade tree mechanic action.

My "replacing the starter" experience is limited to that 4000 and two other
5000 tq avants that I owned. Both the 4000 and one of the 5000 were from
places where they salted the roads in winter.

My S6 is also from one of those places and I'm sure the bolts will have a
bit of rust. This fact doesn't make me happy.

However, I am starting to ramble.

Here's the question. I poked around a bit just now, but didn't see where the
starter was on the engine for the S6 (and the rain has just started, so I
came inside to ask you guys, LOL!). On the 4000 and 5000 it was on the
passenger side, and removing the right front tire made a lot of difference
as far as ease of access was concerned. Where do I find the starter on the
S6? Same place? Any nifty tricks for this car? Obviously the belly pan is
coming off. . .

Thanks in advance for the help.

Tom