1993 Chevrolet Lumina coupe z34

One day I noticed the car was cranking exessively before starting. Not having the time or money to take care of it right then, I let it go. Two days later my wife calls from work "the car won't start". Figuring it was a dead battery from all the cranking I went to give her a jump. The car still wouldn't start and wasn't even cranking, so I towed it home and put it on the charger.

The next day when it still wouldn't start I cleaned the terminals at the battery, nothing. Cleaned the connections at the starter, nothing. So I decided to test the starter by jumping the posts at the starter. After a loud clank the car started and continued to start every time I turned the key. I figured the starter had just got stuck and was now fixed.

The next day the car wouldn't start again. I could hear a clicking and was trying to figure out where it was coming from so I kept turning the ignition, on about the 15/20th turn the car started and continued to start (on the first try) for the rest of the day.

The next day, same thing. Started on 15/20th turn and on the first turn every time after.


*** Summary ***
Exessive cranking for a couple days before this problem started.
When key is turned there is only a clicking sound (I'm pretty sure it's not the solonoid).
If you turn the key a hundred times the car might start on one of them.
If the car does start, it will continue to start on first try for hours.
If the car starts, it starts right up, no exessive cranking.
Jumping the starter works every time.
Any help would be appreciated

The starters job is to spin. there is a spindle with teeth on the end of it. The solenoids job is to move the starters spindle into the flywheel. Thats it. it sounds like one or two of the teeth is missing from the starter. I had to bypass my solenoid quite a few times before I broke down and bought a new starter/solenoid. no probs at all since. weird thing was, once I bypassed, it would start up no probs for a week or so, then back to bypassing. if you hear a click when you turn the key, thats the solenoid kicking the starter spindle into the flywheel. It will cost you about $300 for a new starter/solenoid. But always test them before commiting...
please forgive my terminology...