starter issue, how do I tell if it's going bad? Options

[914 RZ-1]

My car wouldn't start the other day. Battery is good. The starter would not even turn over, but I could hear the fuel pump working. Radio also worked. I was able to push start it to get home. When I got home, I shut the engine off and then tried to start the car. The starter worked. Haven't tried it since, though.

1. How do I tell if the starter is going bad? It sounds ok, but maybe I'm not listening for the right kind of sounds.

2. I'll check all the connections and post my findings as well, but what should I check: terminals on starter, what else?

3. Someone told me to tap on the starter with a hammer. Where? What am I trying to do?

4. Is it better to rebuild or replace? How do I tell if a place is any good? Got a recommendation for a local place, but just based on price.

Thanks in advance!

[Justinp71]

From what I remember there are 4 common problems (or a combination of items)-

1. Bad ground strap from trans to body.

2. Wires from ignition to starter are too corroded and don't supply enough amperage to the starter. Common fix is to start cleaning up connections and install a hot start relay.

3. Bad starter or solenoid.

4. Bad or worn ignition switch

[914 RZ-1]

From what I remember there are 4 common problems (or a combination of items)-

1. Bad ground strap from trans to body.

2. Wires from ignition to starter are too corroded and don't supply enough amperage to the starter. Common fix is to start cleaning up connections and install a hot start relay.

3. Bad starter or solenoid.

4. Bad or worn ignition switch

Thanks for the info. I'll check these when I get some time.

What is a hot start relay?