turn key and just get a click

[fstarr56]

Hi guys my 79 930 turbo starts sometimes and sometimes I just get a click, I'll try it again and it will start. Sometimes it will click and I'll try it again it will click again then start the third try. I'm thinking starter it looks kinda old and rusty connections are all clean and tight. Do I want the high torque one or bosch rebuild one? thanks in advance guys.

[mark houghton]

Before you throw the baby out with the bath, do check that your battery connections are also clean....as well as the ground strap that connects from the body to the transmission. That's "usually" the culprit in any car, where you have good enough connections to activate the starter solenoid (low amp draw) but not good enough to turn the starter motor which pulls a lot of amps.
If it ends up being the starter, I can't recommend which option to go with.

[fstarr56]

Battery terminals are good,I'll check the ground strap. can the ground strap cause it to not start one minute and not the next and then start again?

[mark houghton]

Bad grounds do those kind of things. Your battery is grounded to the body, and the body is grounded to the transaxle, and the starter is mounted on the transaxle. Never hurts to take a few minutes to make sure.
Could be your ignition switch, but I doubt it since your symptoms show that you always get at least a click. The click is the solenoid trying to send power to the starter.

[fstarr56]

it's a pretty strong click and the car sat in storage for a long time that's why I'm thinking flat spot on the starter. Thanks Mark

[wjfk32]

Happened to me..All connections checked out. Turned out the key slot mechanism internals were sticking. I put some mm of oil inside and worked the key and out..fixed.

[mark houghton]

A strong click means your solenoid's energizing coil is working to move the internal copper contacts together (it's nothing but a big relay). Over time, those contacts wear and/or oxidize to where they no longer make good contact - and without good contact there will be no power sent to the starter motor. It's been my experience over the years that solenoids can fail in this fashion and that rarely is the fault with the motor itself.

You can test the starter (best out of the vehicle) by bypassing the solenoid and connecting 12V directly to the starter. It should spin like a strong motor (better mount it in a vice or have someone hold on to it because of the torque). And if you're industrious enough, you may be able to take the solenoid apart and re-condition the contacts inside (I once did that with my truck starter about 100,000 miles ago, and it's still going strong). Unfortunately, I don't think you can buy a replacement solenoid for Porsche's and are stuck with buying the whole shebang.

It sounds like you'll be pulling the starter anyway, so why not check it out before buying a new one?

[T77911S]

you are interested in rebuilding the solenoid and perhaps the starter here is the thread


SOLENOID and STARTER rebuild......finally

[Hams930T]

Nice looking car, by the way!

[fstarr56]

Thanks for all the great info guys. This is my first Porsche and I absolutely love it, fastest best handling car I've ever had.

[mark houghton]

Originally Posted by T77911S

you are interested in rebuilding the solenoid and perhaps the starter here is the thread


SOLENOID and STARTER rebuild......finally

Well there you go! That's some good chit T77911S8574611 yada yada yada. Would love to recognize you by name, but today we're all just digital numbers anymore (except for me).
Fstarr56...go for it. Rebuilding these things is not complicated, for the back yard mechanic anyway. That's half the fun, making these damn cars keepin' on down the road with a little ingenuity and perseverance. We be a tinkering crowd, for sure.

[T77911S]

ty c