850 Starter goes "Click"

Did the starter come with a new solenoid?

A dirty or ill-fitting battery clamp will do this. use some 80 grit and sand the INSIDE area of the positive cable battery clamp until it is clean, shiny, silver-colored lead (or brass) and not the dull grey.

Check the positive cable when it happens and see if it feels warm- or warmer anywhere along its length than in other areas. Cables can look fine on the outside and be damaged or corroded inside. Pull the related fuses and make sure that they are clean (a stretch). If the car has a fusible link check that. I had one go on a Chevy and it drove me nuts till I figured it out!

When it happens at night, try letting someone else start it while you watch under the hood. Watch the battery, but always wear safety goggles when working around the battery. Have them hold the key in teh start position while you wiggle the related wiring (battery cables and starter wires.

__ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvo '93 960 Estate

Good advice. If the solenoid is clicking then the regular ignition system is getting power just fine. The starter has its own wire that runs straight from the battery so that would be something to look at. If you're going to replace the starter yourself then you're going to be down there unhooking all of that stuff anyways so no harm in disconnecting the wire and scraping the contact surfaces with a pen knife or something at least.

If that doesn't work then it could be a problem that the starter is just going bad. The windings are dipped in electrical varnish and eventually it can break down and develop some shorts. When the car is hot you will find that a failing starter will tend to not work. Let it cool a bit and it works again. If this is you then just replace it with a new one.

Oops, forgot to mention. The solenoid itself, like Randy G says, could be the culprit. I don't understand the deal with aftermarket starters, but from my experience 1 in 2 is defective.

The solenoid has two main functions. It kicks the starters pinion gear out on the splines so that it engages with the flywheel (click), and then it acts like a massive relay to energize the starter windings (zweeee), thus cranking your engine block.

When you turn the key, your normal car power sends a 12v signal to the solenoid which activates it, much like a common relay.

Sounds like the "energize the windings" function isn't working reliably.

The OP did mention that the starter was replaced.

The solenoid can be energized but not have the "oomph" to pull the Bendix(?) drive far enough to close the electrical contacts to energize the starter motor. I think the rebuilt Volvo starters would come with a solenoid, but I do not know this car specifically. And yes, it is possible to get a bad starter new.

I also wonder about the engine ground. The motor should have a strap somewhere attached from the block to the frame or body. I would remove it and clean both the mounting lugs on the strap as well as the mounting points on the car.

I would guess the same as you- since the click happens it is a matter of either there is not enough current being supplied to the starter and solenoid or the solenoid is bad.

__ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvo '93 960 Estate

Yeah, the Bendix is that little pinion gear in the nosecone off the starter. It could be a bad ground, internal short, or even a friction problem.

Take it back to whoever fixed it and demand warranty repair. They should replace it again for no charge if they are reputable. Tell them that you think the starter they put in was defective.

I wasn't sure about this car as some use a centrifugal device and some use a sprague clutch. __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvo '93 960 Estate

Well yes, but not in this case. I doubt that Bedix gear is used on any current prodution car. Pre-engage starters are the norm these days.

Thirty or more years ago Bendix gear was more common - it caused the starter pinion to engage in the flywheel by inertia; the pinion was weighted, and ran on a steep helix on the end of the starter armature. When the starter was activated, the heavy pinion would ride to the end of the helix, engaging in the flywheel, before it started turning. When the engine fired, it would turn faster than the starter motor, and the pinion would be thrown back along the helix, out of engagement.

Usual problems were a stuck pinion at either end of its travel, and it was not uncommon to see people rocking their cars back and forth, or whacking the starter with a lump of wood, trying to un-jam the pinion.

From time to time you hear people referring to any starter pinion as Bendix gear, but this is not strictly correct.

Sounds like a sticky starter motor, try tapping the starter motor with a hammer/screwdriver the next time it happens.

If its a manual you can put it in 4th and rock the car to free up.

I had a similar problem with a (non-Volvo) car a few years ago - and it turned out to be a faulty ignition switch.

In an emergency, I could start my engine by turning on the ignition and then using a stout piece of (insulated!) wire to bridge between the battery and starter solenoid. Not recommended if you don't know what you're doing though!

Hi Bob,

If the starter motor has a dead spot (bad windings) then this could happen periodically, depending on the stopping position of the starter motor.

It would help to know if the car starts better hot than cold or the other way around. Does weather play a role (rain, high humidity, etc).

If the battery checks out strong, and the wiring from the solenoid to the starter is good, then most likely the starter itself has a defective spot on the motor windings.

Two Starters later the dealer said it was fixed...

The dealer said they never had two bad starters in a row...

All I know is I hate remanufactured parts... and things like starters you can;t get new, they ALL are rebuilt, even if they are OEM...

Luckily, both starters, and the labor, and the rental car, were under Warranty of the first starter...

Bob Sisson