Hey, iv'e been having lots of problems with starting my '88 626. Over the winter the car would start most of the time, occasionally it wouldn't start. Any time it wouldn't start if i cleaned the batteries negative terminal it would start.

I then got to the point where it wouldn't start after cleaning the battery, i replaced the battery and it started working again. (old one was very old)

Few months later it would take longer and longer to turn over until eventually it stopped starting. I thought the starter/solenoid was bad so i pulled it out and tested it directly on the battery, seemed to work fine.

When i put it back in i noticed that the secondary wire that clips to the solenoid wasn't looking too good (the wire that goes through the ignition and clutch switches). I replaced the clip with a new one and it started working again for a very limited time however. It stopped working less than 10 starts later.

I thought maybe I had a bad ignition switch or clutch switch so i replaced the ignition switch and by-passed the clutch switch for now. However this did not get the starter to turn.

My battery was getting 11.57V across the terminals, and 11.57 to the big lug on the starter. 11.57 to and from the ignition switch, and 11.57 to the front of the clutch switch. However coming out of the clutch switch i was getting 9 to 9.5V. When i by-passed it I was getting 10V. At the small wire on the solenoid I was getting 9V with the clutch switch by-passed.. solenoid was making no sound when i tried to start it.

My question is basically; does the solenoid need 12V on both the large wire and small wire in order to activate and pull the starter motor, or is 12V on the large wire and 9V on the small wire enough for even some sort of sound?

And is it possible that the solenoid has been burnt out after attempting to start the car so many times?

Any information anyone can provide is greatly appreciated.