Just clicks when turning the key ?

I was leaving the dentist this morning in my 93 Beretta and when I put in my key in the ignition and turned it, the starter just clicked. I tried it two more times and had the same result. On the 4th tried it started normally. I tried it one more time after I got to work and it started fine too.

Since I commute 50 miles to work in it, I was thinking it sounds like the starter is on it's way out and thought I would throw a new one in.

What do you folks think ? Is there a test or something else I should look at ? Could my local Checker Auto test the stater ? How difficult is the starter replacement ?

This is the first time I've had any trouble with it. The battery seems to be good (I didn't think to check the lights) and there's no corrosion on the terminals.

Thanks in advance !

Get the battery tested first at Advance / Autozone and check the wires really well. usually a weak wire or battery. However the starter cannot be ruled out. Hard to test it without removing it. Not a tough job though on most of these. Just be careful to use shims if old one had 'em. Does the starter spin at a good speed when it does turn?

Check your battery terminals are tight. If they are ok, (try twisting them to see if they move on the battery pillars), the next thing to try would be to rock the car (back and forth) gently in 4th gear and listen for a click, If it clicks, it will have been your starter gear stuck on the flywheel, but it will now have cleared and the car will start normally.

Another possibility is that the armature on the starter may have stripped a sector on its commutator and may have landed on that when last used. It is probable that in this case there would be no click when you turn on the key to start. Others may be able to elaborate on this; but it happened to me once on a very cold and snowy night in Belgium and I was lucky I wasn't buried in snow that night. Phew!!!

Thanks for all the suggestions folks ! I appreciate all the help.

The starter does work fine (spins good). It only messed up on me the one time but if it does go, I know it will be in the wrong place at the wrong time !

It's an auto. so I cna't try anything in 4th gear.

I took the starter out tonight and ran it down to the local Checker and had it tested and it came out o.k. The guy there noticed however that the lock nut that holds the larger terminal post to the starter was a bit loose. He suggested that I tighten that up because that's what holds the post into the starter and if the post is loose it won't make good contact. (sounded reasonable to me....). I tightened it up and replaced the original starter so we'll see.

The battery terminals were all tight and they were not corroded, so I ruled that out.

We'll see how it goes for the next few days. I have a spare jack, jackstand, tools and everything short of a starter I need in the trunk just in case !