New starter...One "click" and the car still won't start...Help!

[Sporttracguy]

I posted a few weeks back that my 1970 911e that had been working just fine previously decided to stop starting. The car was in storage for about a year, I changed the oil, put in a fresh battery and fresh gas and she fired up and purred like a kitten.

A few weeks back, I decided to start her up and all I would get is a single "click" upon turning the key. I made sure the battery was fully charged, cleaned the transmission ground, checked all the fuses and just today I completely replaced the starter and still the symptoms are the same:

I turn the key to let the fuel pump do its thing and then try to crank over the engine but all i get is the first click of the starter and thats it....

Any other ideas would be great, I really dont want to have to pay to tow it to my mechanic.

Thanks

Edit:
To remove all doubt that it's the battery causing the problem, i just tried another brand new battery from my truck as well as trying to jump the car with another vehicle, the symptoms were exactly the same?

[cornernfool]

Put it in 5th gear and rock the car back and forth. Listen for a clunk. Starter may be stuck in flywheel teeth. Once unstuck they usually fire right up. Good luck.

[Sporttracguy]

Originally Posted by cornernfool

Put it in 5th gear and rock the car back and forth. Listen for a clunk. Starter may be stuck in flywheel teeth. Once unstuck they usually fire right up. Good luck.

That was one of the first things I tried when it first started not working. I figured once I replaced the starter that this wouldnt be a problem. Just went out to the garage, put it in 5th and rolled it about 10 feet, tried to start and still exactly the same symptoms...

[cornernfool]

Sorry Friend, I'm trying. Let us know what it was/is when you figure it out.

[Uncle Enzo]

DOes the starter spin when removed from car and hooked up to a 12v power source? This sounds like a bad ground to me. Can you also check the voltage at the starter when cranking?

[Sporttracguy]

So I probably should have bench tested the old starter before I ordered the new one....I figured it was 44 years old and probably needed to be replaced anyways. Just bench tested both starters with the battery in the car and they both worked just fine....


So It looks like the starter isn't the problem. I already cleaned and re installed the tranny ground but it looks like there is some kind of wiring problem somewhere... What I find odd is that I get an initial click noise, so there is some sort of current getting to the starter but apparently not enough? Looks like I need to trace some wires and see whats going on.....Of course, I'm still up for any other ideas you may have, I know this site is full of people that have had similar problems

After doing some research, my assumption is that the "click" noise I'm hearing is the solenoid engaging but the actual starter motor isn't getting a good connection some where.
Thanks

[timmy2]

Clean up the 14 pin connector male and female contacts at the rear of the engine fuse panel as well as the other one on the side.
The starter solenoid wire passes through both and can get corroded in the pins and sockets.


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[porsche0nut]

You're absolutely sure the battery is good? I chased an electrical issue for hours thinking mine was fine (jump start didn't work and another battery I had didn't start it either) and when I finally replaced the battery, no problem!

Double check.... before chasing electrical I would have the battery tested.

[Sporttracguy]

Originally Posted by porsche0nut

You're absolutely sure the battery is good? I chased an electrical issue for hours thinking mine was fine (jump start didn't work and another battery I had didn't start it either) and when I finally replaced the battery, no problem!

Double check.... before chasing electrical I would have the battery tested.

Just had it checked and everything is fine on the battery side.

Clearly when I turn the key, the solenoid is getting a signal so that interaction is good. How many signal wires go from the ignition to the starter assembly? Are there more than one? I want to try and "rule out" what I can and start at the obvious possible problems.

[rick-l]

Since no one reads the posts let me summarize.

• You get a click that you have verified is coming from the starter when you turn the key.
• You have tried a known good battery as well as a jump from a another operable vehicle.
• two starters (old/new) behave the same

All that is left is to have someone turn the key to start with the car safely in neutral while you monitor the voltage at the starter with a volt meter.

Did you look at the condition of the flywheel while you had the starter out?

[kodioneill]

Have you tried to turn over the engine by hand?

[gruppe75]

How many signal wires go from the ignition to the starter assembly?

Here is my .02 cents. The main power wire comes directly from the battery and the wire that is attached to the solenoid goes to the ignition. If the starter benched test properly then my guess would be the main wire from the battery. I would first verify that power is there.
Good luck

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by kodioneill

Have you tried to turn over the engine by hand?

Did you read post #3?

[kodioneill]

Originally Posted by rick-l

Did you read post #3?

Guilty as charged

[911s55]

Originally Posted by gruppe75

Here is my .02 cents. The main power wire comes directly from the battery and the wire that is attached to the solenoid goes to the ignition. If the starter benched test properly then my guess would be the main wire from the battery. I would first verify that power is there.
Good luck

That was something that was referred to last week in a different thread by the original poster, along with a few other suggestions, but that's all we can do is suggest.

New battery, turn the key and one good click...then nothing?

[Sporttracguy]

Is there a starter relay somewhere? I found this on another site...claims it fixes clicking or dead starters???

[timmy2]

One yellow wire to solenoid.
from the ignition switch to main body harness to the rear fuse panel to the engine harness to the solenoid terminal.
2-14 pin connectors in between at the rear panel.

[Sporttracguy]

Originally Posted by timmy2

One yellow wire to solenoid.
from the ignition switch to main body harness to the rear fuse panel to the engine harness to the solenoid terminal.
2-14 pin connectors in between at the rear panel.

Thanks Timmy, that's super helpful. Ill trace that wire when I get home tonight.

[timmy2]

Knowing the route of the wire is why I suggested cleaning the 14 pin connectors at the rear fuse panel. The big yellow wire in the 4 halves of the 14 pin connectors is the solenoid wire. Multiple places for a bad connection.

[Sporttracguy]

update:

I cleaned every connection I could, replaced every single fuse in the car (for good measure), made sure the battery was fully charged and still nothing..,.. I then pulled the starter, bench tested it again (it works fine) and just for kicks, I tried to turn it over with no starter installed.......

This is where it gets weird: The starter is on my work bench,,, I connect the battery and turn the key,,,, I get a fuel pump sound and the exact same click that Ive been hearing all along...? Whats clicking when I turn the key? Is there some sort of relay? Obviously the sound ive been hearing isnt the solenoid kicking in.

Ideas?