my car isn't starting with a click, click, click sounds. usually is is a bad battery but not this time.

I dropped the starter and tested it and it seems fine. I can hear a clean throw out and it starting to spin. this test is with the std wiring apart from an earth cable to the battery as it is hanging in the air.

I thought that the earth was probably bad so when I bolted it back in I left the earth attached to the starter and battery. same thing click click click.

sounds like the pinion isn't engaging the flywheel and I never hear it spin. if I turn the motor over by hand, I hear a faint click like the pinion was out, but not retracting until the motor is moved slightly.

rotating the engine doesn't help so I don't think it is a flywheel/pinion misalignment.

the fly wheel looks fine it has been in the car for ages and it has been starting ok until this strange behavior.

any suggestions?

 

more testing:
starter works fine when isolated from the chassis. when touching the chassis the starter just clicks. this testing is with a direct earth strap to the battery to rule out a bad engine earth.

looks like an earth leakage issue.

any suggestions?