Starting Question / Solenoid / Wiring / Starter

[Jim_Gruber]

Bugsy my '68 Sprite just started acting up within the last 2-3 days. Engine cold, first turn of the key is met with a click. Second turn he fires right up. I haven't started doing diagnostics yet but looking for clues on where to start. Battery connections are in good shape but battery is 5-6 years old at this point. So where to look? Fist place will be checking and cleaning all connections between battery and starter. Any easy way to diagnose current drop between battery and starter using a simple VOM.TIA

 

[Sarastro]

This is a pretty common behavior when the high-current contacts of a starting relay are starting to wear out. After a couple of tries, the impact and friction of the contacts hitting each other wipes off the surfaces, and you get a good enough contact to start the car. If this is the problem, it will only get worse.

I'd start by connecting the VOM across the high-current terminals of the relay, and I'll be that, when you turn the key and it fails to start, you'll see full battery voltage.

Of course, similar things can happen at the starter, especially if the brushes are bad. Loose or bad connections are always a possibility, too, of course, and it's easy and worthwhile simply to go through the whole thing and clean them. But I'd bet my money on the relay.