trouble starting car, clicking sounds

rustychevy- The "what's best?" seems to change fairly often. Figure out what battery (size/etc.) you need and use the wonders of the internet to see what people think is best at this moment in time.

Or just get [whatever] since IMO it's seldom all that critical. I have AC/Delco in Tahoe and it works fine.
 
My truck clicked like that before when I'd turn the key and hold it. Turned out to be a loose connection to the battery terminal. The lights in the car would go dim, so that's a sure sign you've got battery issues. If the dome and dash lights don't flicker when you turn the key then it's something else most likely.
 
Good tips on the car lights affected by the battery. I had the battery cable replaced last year, the battery (dated 4-2013) is probably not the problem. Since my last post the clicking has stopped, if rain is actually a factor that might have been it.
 
rustychevy- Sounds like you're making progress. If it *is* water-related, you oughta find/fix that before it turns into a more complicated issue due to corrosion. I myself would be looking at the recently replaced battery cable as a first step.
 
rustychevy- Like, say there's a slight break in the cable insulation or a gap where the cable's terminal(s) mount to the battery, and water gets in there. The water causes an issue until it dries up. BUT if that water causes corrosion (and doesn't it always seem to do that eventually?!?) then the problem won't be "just when it's wet" and you could go nuts trying to find the problem since everything will look OK on the outside (corroded wiring is a HUGE PIA to sort out).

IMO (and hey, I'm sure no ASE-certified tech!) you oughta find a way to keep water out of all the "usual places" like where the battery cable insulation is stripped back to mount the terminals, the terminals themselves, and where they attach. Water + electronics = trouble IMO.
 
I ran across these things recently and I'll be getting one. They'll fit in a glove compartment or even a shirt pocket and can get you up and running in a heartbeat.
Help friends and people in a pickle and they're extremely versatile. One of these could help with the OP's original problem by quickly providing an alternate power supply.

Link: XP-10 MICRO-START by Antigravity Batteries
 
Layman's way to repair:
Remove the battery and take to auto parts store to be charged and tested. Reinstall battery, Clean battery terminal connections and tighten well
Buy A DMM learn how to perform a voltage drop test on the positive and negative sides of the stater circuit, this includes the control circuit too.
If circuits pass test.
Remove Starter and have a auto parts store test.
Stores, like Auto Zone, Advanced Auto parts will check battery, Starters, A/C Generators for free of charge.
 
The last time it rained I put a tarp over the hood, weighed it down with bricks. No trouble starting. Two days of possible heavy rain are predicted, that will be a good test.
 
rustychevy- Ah, good thinking!

Once you narrow it down to a moisture issue it'll be interesting to see what you need to do.
 
There was at least 8 hours light rain Tuesday and 18 hours rain Wednesday, some medium and heavy intensity. With the car protected by the tarp there was no problem starting the car.
 
Im not so sure that the water is effecting the battery so much. But the symptoms sure do sound like the battery or something related is causing the problem. The battery terminals use a 5/16" wrench. Some dielectric grease on all battery connections (at the starter too) may do you alot of good. After that I would move on to check the distributor cap for cracks, plug wires too.

Start the car in the dark and look under the hood for any light shows from the spark plug wires.
 
Ignition components i.e. distributor parts, ignition wires have nothing to do with the starter circuit. The starter circuit involves the starter, batteries, cables, ignition switch, maybe a solenoid relay or contactor, maybe a fuse that could be in a power distribution center, a neutral safety switch, corroded (rusted) connection on the ground cable at either end, a loose battery cable connection.

Dave
 
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