Starter back where it should be

Things would have gone together more smoothly if I'd noticed that a spacer had fallen into the bilge! As it was I manuevered the starter into place without too much trouble, got the bolts threaded, then couldn't figure out why the bolts seemed to be bottoming out and yet the starter wasn't contacting the bellhousing. Hmmm. My daddy always told me not to force things so, heeding his admonition, I sighed, unscrewed the bolts, and pulled the starter out to get a clear look at things. That's when I saw the spacer resting just below the engine bed. With the spacer where it should be, things went together with a reassuring "thunk" - i.e., the sound of parts fitting together as designed. What a thrill to know that the starter can be removed and replaced so easily, despite the cramped quarters in the engine compartment. In fact, now that I've had some practice, I'm sure I could swap starters in fifteen minutes or less - twenty in a seaway!