My wife's car (86 200sx) is out of commission again. We just replaced the battery and now the engine wont turn over. When we turn the key the engine starts to turn over for 1/2 second or so then all we hear is a loud clicking sound. The radio and lights work so I'm thinking that the alternator is good( the battery has a charge) and the starter and solenoid are the only other things I can think off. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks docfl
Cables? Check your cables to the starter as well as your ground. Starting requires a fair amount of current but if your cables are corroded you cannot pass enough current to start. Begin there then take a look at the starter. Not familiar with Nissan starters so I cannot advice on solenoid versus starter. Some are integral.
Glenn
Cables. My guess is someone has installed those "temporary repair ends" on the battery cables at some point. What you described doesn't sound like a starter.
Make sure the terminals are clean where there clamp onto the battery posts. Take a knife and scrape the top gray layer off so that it looks silvery. You can get battery termina/post cleaner doohickeys but knife a works just fine.
Glenn
My guess is the contacts on the starter are worn out. Have someone hold the key in the start position while you give the starter solenoid a good whack with a hammer. The contacts are cheap and easy to change provided access to the starter is good.
Unless they have "temporary repair ends" on the cables and the main starter wire isn't making contact but the others are.
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