Is the "clicky starter" syndrome known for Samurais only or Sidekick/Tracker too?
My Tracker went "click" today after driving it around a bunch.  Maybe a wire somewhere got too hot.  Let it sit awhile and it started right up.  What's up?

i did to on a 97 sidekick work good. i make one my self

Does it have anything to do with tempreature or is it a randomly occurring thing? My problem was that when I went to start it all o heard was a click. Sounded like a relay under the dash near the steering column. P
I read about them before but never paid much attention because I thought of was a Samurai problem only.

You can get a "clicky" starter problem on ANY vehicle - however - it doesn't mean that it's caused by the same problem that the Samurai suffered from - as a matter of fact - there is more than one cause, and the Samurai "clicky Starter fix" only addresses one cause.

A defective starter solenoid will cause it, worn brushes in the starter motor will cause it, a flat battery (or loose battery lugs) will cause it, a worn ignition siwtch will cause it, defective wiring will cause it - the Samurai fix only addresses the last one in that list.

You can get a "clicky" starter problem on ANY vehicle - however - it doesn't mean that it's caused by the same problem that the Samurai suffered from - as a matter of fact - there is more than one cause, and the Samurai "clicky Starter fix" only addresses one cause.

A defective starter solenoid will cause it, worn brushes in the starter motor will cause it, a flat battery (or loose battery lugs) will cause it, a worn ignition siwtch will cause it, defective wiring will cause it - the Samurai fix only addresses the last one in that list.

I suspect it will fix any of those, except probably a flat battery (or loose battery lugs).  I never had any problems with my Tracker until I did my motor upgrade, then just as I was finishing up the clicky starter happened.  I noticed that it would start just fine when I jumped across off the starter wire, so I installed a solenoid to put 12 volts on the solenoid (cheaper than a new solenoid).  The next week I heard about the clicky starter fix kits.
In this case the only difference was a different starter & solenoid.  Still works fine, so was worth the time to put it in.

It won't fix worn starter brushes (or a defective starter motor) - the solenoid clicks, engages the bendix and closes the contacts but the starter doesn't turn - you can also have a solenoid with worn contacts, so the solenoid clicks and engages the bendix but doesn't close the contacts and again, the starter doesn't turn - both of which I have seen, although not on Suzukis.

The original Samurai problem is one where the wire between the switch & the solenoid is too small to properly handle the current required to engage the solenoid fully, so it doesn't close the contacts - the fix is to add a relay so the switch handles the low current required by the relay coil, and the relay contacts handle the current required by the solenoid.

I've also had a 1.3 Suzuki Swift with worn contacts on the ignition switch - couldn't handle the current required by the solenoid, and yes, a relay would have fixed it, but I opened the switch and rebuilt the contacts with solder.

Like I say - there are many possible causes.

I'll find time to look into it. I'm just a little pissed off right now. No problems for over two years and now it happens three times in the past two days.

Make that in the past three days.  Luckily today it was when I stopped at the house for something.  Got in to leave and turned the key---yup, you guessed it: NOTHING.  Had to take another car to get on my way.
So, aside from removing the starter and having it tested, are there any other tests I could perform on this to narrow down the problem?

Put a voltmeter between the starter solenoid feed (the thin wire) and ground - you should see +12V (or very close to it) when you turn the key to start - if you do, your problem is either the starter or the solenoid - if you don't the problem is in the wiring between the key switch and the starter - if you have less than +12V the clicky starter fix (relay) might work for you.

Take an old screw driver and jump across from the starter battery wire to the solenoid signal wire.  If starter works w/o clicking, using a relay will provide the extra juice needed same as jumping direct from battery wire.
Problem with using a Voltmeter is the new ones can read voltage with little to no amperage, and it is the current that pulls the solenoid in to supply battery power to the starter.
I agree with Fordem that this fix will not fix issues with a starter/solenoid.  It won't Fix anything, but it will provide battery power to the solenoid and is a simple way to get consistent solenoid engagement if there are issues causing low voltage and current at the starter solenoid.
 

Problem with using a Voltmeter is the new ones can read voltage with little to no amperage, and it is the current that pulls the solenoid in to supply battery power to the starter.

There's no voltage on that terminal until you turn the key, and when you turn the key the voltage that you see across the solenoid is the voltage with whatever current the solenoid is drawing - if there is a bad or high resistance connection, preventing sufficient current from flowing, the voltage will be lower than 12V, the lower the voltage, the higher the resistance - or if you like the worse the connection.

Yes - a screwdriver works - if you can reach the terminals - but try not to short the terminal to anything nearby whilst you're doing it.

Yes - a screwdriver works - if you can reach the terminals - but try not to short the terminal to anything nearby whilst you're doing it.

Fordem is right, the battery wire is hot (has voltage) all the time, and will arc to any lower voltage it contacts.  the heat generated can burn you if in direct contact.

And this is a bad idea if you do not know what you are doing.  It will energize the starter if your battery has energy, with you under the car, or under the hood.  That means if it is in gear it will move, and if key is on it may start.  I sometimes forget that knowing what I say to do doesn't mean knowing what will happen.  I am Old School and find ways to make things work when I need to. I apologize for suggesting an action that is DANGEROUS.

As I said earlier about the clicky starter fix, "It won't Fix anything", it is a simple way around fixing some of the problems that cause a clicky starter, and it is not dangerous to install or use. 

At first, it did it the other day when I was driving it around and everything was hot from driving around.  I thought it was temperature-related.  Then on July 4th I hadn't driven it all day and when tried to start it, it wouldn't start, after sitting all day.  I hit the starter with a hammer and it started right up.  Sounded to me more like a bad starter and less like a wiring issue.

So I had time today to take the starter off.  Took it to the local rebuilder and they are rebuilding it.  Should have it back tomorrow afternoon.  They tested it and it whined really loudly and was making a sharp clicking noise.  I had the other starter off my other Tracker and it tested out fine, operated smoothly and quietly. 

Okay, so let's say I put the rebuilt starter in and have no more problems.  Is it a good idea to install the relay/clicky fix anyways?  I read somewhere that not having the proper power supplied to the starter (using the factory wiring) will damage a starter.  Will the wiring kit provide more consistent power and thus protect my starter, or is it just a waste of time/money to install the relay kit?

I wouldn't worry with it.

I also wouldn't pay much heed to the theory that "not having proper power supplied to the starter by the factory wiring will damage it".

Just so that you understand where I'm coming from - yes - one of the easiest ways to damage an electric motor is to supply it with a lower than normal voltage - but - that is more applicable to a motor that runs continuously, that one that is used intermittently as in the case of a starter motor - and - the lower than normal voltage would be the main supply that is fed through the heavy black cable, not the solenoid control lead.

You can also, at least theoretically, overheat and damage the solenoid if the voltage supplied to it is too low - and this is where that clicky fix relay can make a difference - but again, under normal circumstances you wouldn't have the key turned to the start position long enough to overheat the coil windings.

If you've ever taken the time to read your owner's manual (any vehicle owner's manual), you will see several warnings not to crank the engine for more than 15~30 seconds at a time, and to allow it time to cool in between cranking.

So - when you turn that key and it goes "CLICK" what are you going to do, hold the key down & pray - or - release it and try again?  After repeated attempts there will be some heat buildup, but you should at some point realise that it's not going to crank, and I believe for most of us, that point will be before any damage is done.

True. Makes sense when you put it that way. Regarding continous versus momentary motor run time.
I will pick up one of those HF remote starters and keep it in an emergency tool kit. That was mentioned in another thread when i searched for info earlier. What a great idea for a backup.