Starter (starting) problem?

[dakotapalm]

My Bonneville won't start. Turn the key and just a click. Yesterday when I left for work, I turned the key and got a click; then on the second turn, it started. Meanwhile, it started fine on the way home from work, but about a mile from home I began hearing a rattling as the car was at idle. The rattling disappeared when the RPM's when above idle. The rattling seemed worse today when I started it, although it did start immediately. I drove five minutes around the corner to the Rite-Aid drug store, and when I came back to the car, it would not start. (again, just a click from the starter)

I've tried tapping on the starter, bypassing the battery with jumper cables, conventional use of jumper cables, and still nothing. Seems like this must be a starter issue, right? Also, what is the chances that the rattle that I heard could be related? None at all? I can't think of a reason why it'd be connected, but it does seem odd that it would happen at the time time the starting problem occurred. Thanks for the help.

[Bob Dillon]

Clean your battery cables. Thoroughly, at both ends. Peel the insulation back on each end when you do so; you'll probably find corrosion inside. Use a baking soda and water paste to clean it all off. Be sure to get inside the battery terminals. A pistol cleaning brush works well for this.

This is a common problem with our cars.

[Dutch]

I concur! The battery cables and ground connections seem to be a large majority of electrical problem culprits...always the first place to look!

[ChilinMichael]

Notice everything going dead when you hear that click and no start? I cannot tell you how many times I've had the battery terminals screw me....I did a permanent fix though

[dpcookson]

Not sure if this pertains to you but I know some of the older GM starters used the solenoid to energize the starter motor AND engage the starter drive gear. If the solenoid was to become sticky it might prevent full connection to the motor and possibly not retract the drive gear, leaving it fully or partially engaged to the flywheel.