For quite some time now my starter had been just free spinning the first three or four times the key was turned but would eventually work. Recently it was getting to the point where it would take almost ten tries before it would actually grab. So I went to Autozone ( yeah I know ) because I work there and today was %30 off for employees. Took me about five minutes to get it in there and when I tried to start it, nothing. I had voltage to the positive post on the starter. And the solenoid switch connector had voltage in the start position. Right away I assumed it was a bad starter. I brought it back to the store and put it on the tester. It came on right away and tested good. Then I put it back in the car again, and still nothing. Checked all my fuses, tried adding another ground to the starter ect. No dice. Again I brought it back up there and tested it again, this time it failed. I had to drive twenty minutes back out to a different Autozone to get another one. I put that one in the car and it fired right up. The next time I went to start it, it just clicked and clicked untill I finally rolled the car a bit and let the clutch out to move the motor, now it's not having problems. I'm wondering could the flywheel be an issue? It did look a little beat up from the other starter but not too bad...why would it just click with the motor in certain positions?

 

Mine started doing that, it turned out to be dirty and corroded connections.

 

Your battery got low from all the start attempts on the bad starter, thats why you just hear the relay click and nothing else happens. Do a decent highway run (like 30 mins) and then see if you have any problems after that.

 

If that doesn't do it, pull the cables off the battery, and make sure the cable ends, and battery terminals are nice and clean, then put the ends back on, and make sure they are tight. It might also pay to make sure the positive connection at the starter is clean and tight, and same for the ground connection at the engine. A loose or dirty connection at any of these points can cause the problems you are having.

 

I've could have sworn there was an Autozone commercial like this

 

Okay, so I'm still having some trouble with the new starter. Every other time I drive it, it just clicks and doesn't want to start. If I roll the car back just a little bit and move the motor and then try it fires right up. That doesn't really make any sense to me since the flywheel is okay and it never grinds or anything. I recently cleaned the connections and made sure everything was tight. The only thing I haven't really checked is the mating surface between the tranny and the starter. Could it just be a ground issue because there's some crap between them and it's dirty maybe? Does it help to run an extra ground from the casing to the battery or something? I plan on checking that soon but I've been busy and tired from work. I've heard people have had issue with that though.

 

Crazy as it sounds (to me)
check your mounts. maybe the motor is shifting enough to misalign the starter

 

i have replaced 4 starters on my 90 maxima within the last 2 years

 

Right, but the starter is bolted to the tranny/motor so it would move with it.

 

but the wiring can get pulled...

wierder things have happened.

 

I have had several issues with Autozone starters. You may want to trying swapping it out again.

 

Probably end up having to....