<VV> RE>>Just for starters

[vairjer at comcast.net]

The "Only clicked" can be from several possibilities...in order for the solenoid to fully engage the ring gear the pinion tooth that hits the ring gear must be tapered/pointed and may be blunted...the armature should begin to turn almost at the same time as the entry of the pinion tooth, and if you have landed on a burned or "open" winding (it happens when the solder/staking of the armature wire loosens up at the commutator) you may get more success on a subsequent attempt....By turning the engine and moving the ring gear  you may have cleared a questionable segment of the ring gear... 

So, the answer is in the car...Sometimes a burned spot on the disc in the solenoid that applies the voltage to the cranking motor lands better on a later attempt and connection is made.  If a subsequent attempt works, it probablly wasn't the "pull-in" coil of the solenoid being weak. 



One just  has to eliminate each possible cause, and that probably means pulling the starter for a careful examination....Sorry about that. 



Jerry McKenzie 

former Delco Remy Quality Engineer, now just an old Corvair guy