Starting Problem--Solenoid Clicks But That's It

[mitchlit]

My '94 540i is used mostly on weekends, so it's not used regularly. The battery has enough juice for the solenoid to click, but the starter (?) doesn't go. Are there any other possibilites? Any tests to check the starter?

Thanks!

[ProZak]

Have you tried jumping it off of another vehicle? Sounds like a dead battery to me.

[mitchlit]

I recharged the battery and that worked.
But I'm currious about this fix. I thought if the solenoid worked, then there was enough juice for the starter motor. With other cars I've had, if the battery had enough juice for the solenoid to click and the car didn't turn over, the starter motor was a likely problem, though not the sole possibility. Does the 540i required more battery power for the starter motor because of the size of the engine?

[joshua43214]

The click sound is the contact in the solenoid closing. It only takes a few amps to do this, to crank the engine takes well over 200 to get it going.

On a fully charged battery, if the starter clicks but does not crank, most likely the starter is bad.

Get your electrical system checked.

[John 535is (Sydney)]

This happened to me last year. Good battery, solenoid clicks but does not 'throw' the starter.
Emergency mechanic came out, and to my initial horror thumped the starter with an iron bar (not to hard) just to vibrate it.
Starter then worked fine.
If you take it to an auto electric place (or pull it out yourself) you will probably find the grease has gone 'gummy'. Just a good clean, new grease and works fine.

John 535is