Car wouldn't start at gas station and when I tried starting back up the positive battery cable had an electrical arc and the car hasn't started from then. Its a 5 speed so I could push start. I have already replaced the battery terminal and cut off corroded battery cable portion but when I try turning the car on it just looses all power (accessory works but when trying to turn over everything dies) Already tried jump starting the car but only a single click when trying to turn over. Just wondering if it sounds like the starter or the starter solenoid.
Thanks

 

It may be the battery. Does the headlights work? If they work, do they go dim real fast? Have the battery checked. Sometimes a battery that is discharged may need to be charged for a little while with the donor car running before it has enough of a charge to actually start the car.

 

By process of elimination, I would change the solenoid first, test the battery under load at Autozone or Kragen, trickle charge it overnite if necessary. Also replace the entire positive cable from battery to the starter to be safe. If this doesn't solve the problem, then proceed to having the starter tested. From there on, there are fused links possibly, relays to test, examine all fuses and so forth. Electrical issues are frustrating, so be thorough, but patient.

 

I just checked headlights are fine. I had the battery hooked up to my pickup for 5 minutes and no change while starting.

 

Okay, try this so we can possibly rule out the ignition switch. Try to start the car; but, try holding the key a little bit to see if it starts and stays running with the key held.

techauto.awardspace.com/ignitionswitch.html

Btw: what year car and how many cylinders is yours?

 

Nope nothing but it does start if push started with clutch.
-1991 4 Cylinder

 

Then it may be starter related. I would recommend getting the starter tested like bigpat suggested.

 

I read this a bit differently, lights come on when key is in pos II, but as soonas you go to "start" it all dies. Sounds like a bad connection?????

What is the voltage on the small wire to the starter when you try to start?

 

I think that all unnecessary power is cutoff, because the starter requires a lot of amps to start the car. If the click is coming from the starter, you can have someone hold the key in the start position and hit the starter with light/medium force with the handle of a screwdriver. If the car starts, then you verified a worn out starter solenoid/contact.

 

I don't see where you had the battery tested under load. Until you do that, you can't rule out a weak battery.

If you don't want to do that, just measure voltage across the battery posts WHILE someone tries to start the engine. How low does the voltage get?