328 solenoid click but starter not turning -- starter or solenoid?

My QV did this and it was a coil going bad.So, it can be an other thing then the solenoid.

 

In the 36 years I have owned my 328 I have experienced the click and nothing else when the key is turned to start. Once I removed the starter and took it to a place that repairs starters. The starter and solenoid were deemed fine. In my case the problem was an iffy connection in the passenger footwell.

 

Voltage drops through the circuit are often the cause of this problem. The solenoid doesn't fully engage due to the voltage drop. Therefore you hear a click but the motor doesn't turn.
I had this issue, and it was traced to the foot well connector block, as mentioned above. There's also a connector block on the left hand side of the engine bay. The ignition switch can also cause voltage drops. There's no relay in this circuit, so the ignition switch has the full solenoid current through it. Fitting a relay mitigates volt drop through the switch.

 

Not possible is probably why you don't understand it.

 

What is the battery voltage at 150 amp load? What is the battery voltage at the solenoid stud during cranking?

Voltage under load is all that matters. Static voltage is pretty meaningless.

 

One issue for this is that it depends if the "click" is a hard click (i.e., the solenoid plunger actually moves, but the switch that it triggers to run starter motor does not work = bad solenoid switch assembly or the starter motor brushes could not be making good contact to the commutator) or a soft click (i.e., the current reaching the solenoid coil is reduced so the plunger takes up the slack in the Bendix mechanism and makes a small noise, but the solenoid plunger isn't moving its full stroke so it's never trying to close the switch at the rear of the solenoid to run the starter motor = some upstream issue reducing the current to the solenoid coil). I'd also check the connection(s) between the solenoid switch and the starter motor -- could just be a loose nut on a stud.

 

The issue with mine was a crimp that joined the white wire from ignition switch to the connector block in the foot well. It had never been crimped to the wire. Over time the resistance increased, eventually enough to drop the solenoid supply voltage to a point where the solenoid would not fully engage, only click!
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Had a similar issue a couple years ago. Was all ready to replace the starter, but when I pulled the old one, I noticed something. The 12v connection between the solenoid and the starter motor was extremely corroded. Cleaned all starter motor/solenoid connections and tested on the bench before I put it back in. No problems since!

 

Is the starter original? Starters wear out based on the number of actuations, not mileage.

The Bendix drive inside the starter can stick, and the solenoid may also be weakening and exacerbate that problem. The intermittent aspect suggests it is something in the starter.

I suspect you will end up rebuilding the starter. Although as noted there are other wiring related possibilities to be ruled out. Some wiring problems tend to be worse on a hot car rather than one being started first thing in the morning as you started this thread with, that's why the relay add on mentioned is often referred to as a hot start kit.

 

Search for "WR1 relay" mod. Try this first.
Alden

 

Here is a visual of the relay mod that has been mentioned. WR1 kits are available everywhere.
Alden
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Hi,Mayby stupid question but, is there no function for 87A ?

 

The starter HAS a relay. The "kit" adds a relay to activate a relay. I don't see any need for that. Stick with correcting the problem rather than adding components. If there is a voltage drop causing the problem between the ignition switch terminal and the starter relay - then the switch/that circuit needs checking/repair. As a first step, perform a voltage drop test on the circuit between the feed to the ignition switch and the starter relay and, if necessary, narrow it down from there. There are videos available re voltage drop testing if you are not familiar with them. FWIW, taking a voltage reading at the battery or the starter when the starter circuit is engaged will typically result in voltage in the 8-11V range. But such a reading is NOT a voltage drop test and is not really useful for circuit testing.

 

"I gave the dashboard a Fonzie slap "

That's the standard (temporary) "fix" for bad connections! With starters/solenoids you often need to perform that slap with a rubber mallet!