Turn the key while pressing the clutch, heard click click, won't start.

Tried turn the key couple times, same click click noise, but won't start.

Turn off key, then turn the key while pressing the clutch, it started finally.

The above happened to me couple times in cold engine & warm engine.

Changed battery, won't help.

Dealer said it's not fuel pump nor starter, they clean the ground wire, and the car starts like new car.

After 6 months, some thing happen.

Any suggestion, guys?

 

If you already changed the battery and you hear a click it's the starter.

Starter getting power, so not the clutch or ignition switch.

 

But why it starts after couple tries.

 

Check the clutch switch. Easy to replace. Mine will not click click click, but will give you a single click. Then eventually it starts. Sometimes it just starts, sometimes not.

Replace this and see if it works: P/N 997.613.109.50

 

Mine also has only one click for each key turn.

Mine sounds exactly like yours, single click with each key turn. Then eventually it starts. Sometimes it just starts, sometimes not.

Will go to replace the clutch switch. But any parts number?

 

Reads like a low battery. Could be when you had the car in for this before and the tech connected a battery charger/reconditioner to the battery to recharge it and recondition it this is why the symptom was gone for a while.

The only time I had a clutch safety interlock switch act up there was no click no noises at all when I turned the key to start.

You can try replacing the clutch interlock switch. It is not that hard, but one has to be a contortionist to get at it which can make the job a pain (literally and figuratively).

Also, my local dealer will install things like this switch (light bulbs, wipers, etc.) at no charge if I buy the part from its parts department.

 

What will cause this low battery ever after long drive?

 

As others have said since you're getting the clicking sound which means the starter solenoid is getting power it's not the clutch switch so it's either the battery has a bad cell and is not outputting enough voltage or more likely it's a bad starter. There a few ground connections between the battery and the starter that you could check for corrosion to rule that out.

I had the exact same problem on my 997.1 GT3. Sometimes had to turn the key 15 or more times before it started. Changed the starter and haven't had a problem since.

 

I had exactly the same problem on my 997.1 gt3rs and had my starter rebuilt, its been fine now for over a year

 

The starter can over time develop rust around the pinion gear or starter clutch. The pinion gear is the part that springs out and catches the flywheel to start the engine. Removal and rebuilding or lubricating this area can help.

 

If the battery is going bad or the car's charging system is not performing up to snuff this can have the battery down after a long drive. The charging system might be ok at first, initially, but its efficiency/performance drops off as the car is driven. This is a particularity insidious failure mode as at first the charging system is working just fine when it is checked but of course it doesn't stay that way.

(I watched a Panamera with this behavior. At engine start everything was just fine. The engine idled normally. After a few minutes the engine started to run rough and then warning lights came on and the engine's condition went rapidly down hill and the engine died. The tech turned off the engine and let the car sit a while and then started the engine again. It started and ran like before, just as normal as one could want. But again after not too many minutes the engine went downhill and the end was as before.)

If the battery checks out the clicking suggests insufficient current is getting to the starter solenoid. When you turn the key to start the engine this supplies power to the solenoid. The solenoid then in turn slides the starter pinion gear out to engage the ring gear in the flywheel and when the pinion gear is fully engaged a secondary action is a switch is closed which then supplies power to the starter motor which in turn the spins the engine. When the engine fires and begins to run and the key is released from the start position this removes power from the solenoid and it retracts the pinion gear and cuts power to the starter motor. There is an overrun clutch that as the engine gains RPMs and of course the ring gear spins much faster this prevents the ring gear from over-speeding the starter motor.

If the current to the solenoid is insufficient the solenoid attempts to work but fails and the clicking is what you hear.

Bad wiring can also result in this behavior as can a bad or going bad solenoid. There may be other explanations, a failing starter/solenoid relay perhaps?

For every bad starter or starter relay or bad charging system there are a far greater number of bad batteries.

You must ensure the battery is good.

Afterwards if you are sure the battery is blameless then your investigation must expand to consider and eliminate other possible explanations.

 

I always keep my GT3 on a CTEK maintainer MUS 4.3 which has 8 stage charging, including desulphation and absorbtion stages. The cigarette lighter is always active and the connecting wire makes it evident so you don't accidently drive off connected.

The concept of "car power" needs to be changed, the Battery is where all your power comes from NOT the alternator. When a battery is low the alternator tops it off but should never be tasked with running the whole electrical system. A fully depleted battery can tax the electrical system heavily and should be avoided.

I am convinced you will get 2 more years out of a battery by constantly keeping it on a maintainer when not used.

 

Pretty sure is not the battery, as I connected another battery to start, same click click.

But after a long drive and wait for 2 hrs than restart, it starts OK.

Only after over night or couple days or weeks, the click click comes back again.

Need to click click over 10-20 times to restart it

 

It's looking like it's a bad starter. Like i said above I had the same problem and now that you've ruled out the battery you've pretty much confirmed it.

The only other possibility is some corrosion on a ground connection somewhere between the battery and starter but it's probably the starter.

 

I think so.
Any aftermarket better vesion?