Did I break my starter?

[firenexx]

Hey all, I received the dreaded "click" and silence when trying to start my '94 B4000 (M/T). I figured it might be bad wiring since I know that it's old and corroded.

When I had the starter/relay/battery wiring taken out, I thought, hey, maybe I'll test the starter motor by hooking up a jumper from the + battery terminal to the motor, bypassing the solenoid. (That would narrow it down to either wiring or the solenoid.)

So I did that, and the engine turned for about a second, then stopped turning (but the starter motor was still whirring away.) I tried a couple more times and the starter motor whirred as it should, but it did not actually turn the engine. I only let it go for a few seconds each time.

Did I break something by doing this? I'm not sure why the starter would turn the engine at first but then stop and continue whirring.

The positive wires to the ignition and everything were disconnected from the battery when I did this.

 

[AllanD]

The Solenoid's other job is to engage the fear, if you don't power the solenoid it never has that chance....

The starter not running is failure of the electrical contacts in the starter to make contact and switch the motor on after the solenoid has engaged the gear