1981 Camaro won't start

[Awhitewookie]

A couple days ago my dash battery light turned on and now it won't start. Starter is clicking and acting like a dead battery. I put in a new battery and it ran fine for a day (dash light still on). Died over night, I can't find a parasitic drain anywhere, I replaced the alternator and it started up. As I was driving that same day of replacing the alt my audio system clipped. I found one of my amp power wires melted to the headers and grounding out, so I for sure thought that this was the source of drain. However I was wrong, so I replaced my battery cables and cleaned the solenoid. Still acting like the battery is dead and sometimes the starter clicks and sometimes it doesn't. It will start right up if I jump it though. I cannot find any source of a short either.

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Alex

[keepinitloud]

might be a bad start solenoid you said you cleaned it but if its bad or goin bad that won't help also you replaced the alt was it not charging? a bad batt will of course kill an alt but did you check them both before you replaced them hate to see you buy an alt for nothing

[rubbernutz1]

ya dude if u got headers on it the starter is probly fried. id try replacing it. headers are bad for killing starters

[Team Bassick - Kimo]

Damn bro I went through all of that with my 93 camaro. Still having problems with it but nothing related your sypmtoms. I ended up doing all what you did and it finally solved it. I replaced the starter, alternator and battery. the clicking of the starter is a good sign the starter probably got swollen from the heat which I've done in both my camaro and s10. If all electrical was sound before the initial problem you'll more than likely be o.k. once you replace the starter. OH and by I mean swollen it is the internals not the actual casing of the starter.