Starter/solenoid problem

[jconnell]

Went to start my 86 635 (90,000) and got a really loud type sound from under the hood,inside the car it sounded like a machine gun.I had been doing the infamous brake booster o ring replacement so there were various liquids on the engine.It sounded like the weak click you get with a dead battery but mine was very loud and fast as my battery is good.Sound is coming from solenoid area which seems to have a rubber cover on it.
Anybody know what's going on?

I'm

PS:
When I first got in the car I noticed I had lost my radio stations and the on board computer, very puzzling.

Any help would .....help.

Many thanks,
Jim

[KevinD]

Clean battery cable ends and battery posts.
With battery cables removed from battery, remove and clean both large cables on the solenoid.
Also, clean small black/yellow trigger wire connection on the solenoid.
Verify >12.3 volts at batt w/engine off.
Verify 13.7-14.4 volts at batt w/engine idling.
Clean up the engine bay.
Auto tranny???

Report back.

[jconnell]

This is an 86 auto trans.

Battery is strong, I think I have some sort of electronic thing going on, I had taken off the knee pad and was driving it fine.Now I get a very loud relay/solenoid click when starting, it's not slow, it's moving at starter speed it seems.I'm wondering if it has something to do with disconnecting the few wires attached to the knee pad.Somehow the OBC and the radio lost their preset programming so I lost power to them without touching the battery.