Wel, first off, my car is a 86 SE Auto. i replaced my battery because it just wouldnt hold a charge. I hooked up my new one hoping my car would run.....nope....

So then, i tried everything from trickle charging to 50 amping it to start it but got nothing But CLICK CLICK .......CLICK. Nothing, no errr, nothing. So then i tried jumping it, and that worked, a couple of times. And even then, it wouldn't run again after shutting it off and immediately attempting to turn it over again.

Soooo, now i got a new starter, I get it all in, nice and purdy, i turn it over, and all i hear is an erratic clicking. At this point im going, ohhhhh god, there goes my flexplate. So i immediatley dropped the starter again and everything was fine. I've tried every shim combo in the book, and even tried turning the car to ACC and laying a screwdriver from both leads to get it to crank. but of course, nothing but the erratic clicking. My cousin who works at O'reilly Auto Parts (hes a manager) told me that the clicking was the solenoid clicking extremely fast from the fact that it is new. He then told me that the starter i gave him was perfectly fine! What's the problem? He seems to think its either my Ignition switch or a bad ground.

any and all help will be GREATLY appreciated!
Thanks!

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Battery cables, one or both are bad.

I have absolutely perfect interior lights, radio, healights etc... So is it the battery cables? I'm so lost....

It could very easily be the cables. A so-so cable (or cable connection) will pass enough voltage and amperage to light the lights and run the radio but when you try to draw the 30 amps or so to run the starter problems can arise.

Check your big positive cable running to your battery. I had a similar problem and that fixed it for me.

I agree check your battery cables for acid on the conract sides,then check and clean the ground cable that goes from the battery to the engine block (clean the bolt stud,if you need to).The clicking or erratic clicking is usualley an indication of lack of battery power,because you say you charged the battery,I would check your battery cables.The next thing I would do is disconnect the single power wire to each headlight (don't pull the headlight fuse or you'll lose your brake lights),I once had a major power drain,so bad that a 6 amp battery charger wouldn't charge the battery at all.Problem solved after disconnecting the single power wire on each headlight.So chargeing your battery may have done nothing.Disconnect the single power wires to each headlight and try chargeing the battery again.If this is the problem,read Ogres Cave (above)for the article on 87-88 headlight upgrade or rebuild your current headlights.There are rare instances wear the fan relay is stuck in the on position,but you would have heard the fan running.Might want to check to make sure you dont have any interior or exterior lights on (brake lights).

Anybody else have any ideas? Right now its pouring outside or i'd check the cables, but any other suggestions?

You replaced the battery and starter... Assuming the replacement starter isn't bad...

Don't even bother checking the cables. Just replace them. You don't have the skills or tools to determine if they are bad. It's not meant as an insult. Cables that look ok can still be bad. There is a way to test them but it's tricky to do and confusing for anyone that doesn't have a fairly significant electrical background

Also have the alternator tested.

Replace them both, they are cheap. I have just asked MonsterParts if he can get the two correct ones for my car. I hate the end connecters on the ones from partshouses. But , that being said, even those are better than a 22 year old ones with 150K miles on them and no telling how many drenches in rain or heat. This sounds like a cable problem to me.
Joe Crawford

Thanks for all the replies. Yea Ogre, i really didn't think that there was a way to really check the cables, i was just going to put a different one on and see what happened. The negative one is brand new, so i geuss i'll replace the positive one tomorrow and see what happens!
edit: ha! post number 500!

[This message has been edited by clintyrd skynyrd (edited 10-07-2007).]

Well...i changed both battery cables and decided to sit in the car for a good 2-3 minutes. i really didnt have the balls to turn the key and listen to it chatter again....

well.......i turned the key and.......it turned right over and started right up!!! The smoothest i have heard it run in a looong time, but then again i had only heard it once since i tuned it up....anyway, thats besides the point... I ran into our house screaming ITS ALIVE!!!!! ITS ALIVE!!!! lol and my mom was rather happy because i had been sad that my poor Fiero was just sitting and never starting when i told it to. Thanks to all of you!

PLUSES to all that helped!!

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[This message has been edited by clintyrd skynyrd (edited 10-08-2007).]