Starter Diagnostic help needed

[cruiksdr]

Okay, I think that I may have solved my oil leak problem, but I don't know because now I can't start the car. It cranked over a few times (is if the battary was dying). Then when I turned the key, it just clicked. I'm thinking, dead Battary. So I put the charger on and it shows that the battary isn't really dwn much, but I let it cook anyway. Still nothing. Jumper cables -- no crank. Just a click like the starter solinoid is starting to do something but that's it. Is it possible that my starter died on me? It seemed fine, and then just all of the sudden did this. I thought that I would have more warning for a failure. Is there a way that I can test the starter?

When I was working on the car, I accidently forgot to disconnect the battary. When I went to disconnect the starter, I got a pretty good arc and I wonder if I could have damaged the charging system (which shouldn't have affected the battary).

Thoughts??

Thanks!
Daniel

[SGB]

Arcing at the starter shouldn't impact system. Is yer ground strap from the tranny connected? Make sure the stack of wires that attach to the solenoid and starter (alternator lead, ignit switch, & battery 12V+) aren't corroded. A dying starter (like mine) just fails occaisionally with minor provocation like high humidity or low temperatrures, until it moves to stator heaven. You can short accross the + lead to the solenoid to the +lead from the batytery to see if it kicks in...

[914GT]

Inspect and clean the battery terminals too.

[John Rogers]

Along with the terminals, you might also check the cables. If they are hard and stiff, I'd replace them as they can build up a ton of resistance. Also if your car has the stock batt location, make sure the ground strap and connection at the inner fender is good. Last of all make sure the tranny to body ground strap is connected good so the electrical circuit is not having to travel through the clutch cable.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/mult_starter_diag/mult_starter_diag.htm

[stevedee]

Also, make sure the 12V is getting "through" the solenoid. Just because it clicks, doesn't mean the contacts inside are clean enough to transfer the voltage to the starter. I built some long voltmeter leads so I could "watch" while sitting in the car as I tried to start it. With mine, the 12V wasn't getting through, so I had to disassemble the solenoid and clean 30 years of arcing off of the contacts. Car started good as new after that.

[cruiksdr]

Thanks everyone!!

Turns out to have been a very simple fix. I had a bad connection at the ground strap. I took that off, cleaned it up and reattached and it worked like a champ

Thanks for all the great advice!
Daniel