series 60 bad starter?

The starter has to come out. Yesterday I pushed the starter button and all I heard was a click.

I opened the hood and put 12 volts directly to the solenoid—just a few sparks.

I bought an oil pan heater from NAPA for $59. It's the magnetic type—200 watts. I was looking for the pad type, but they were out of those.

I think the starter has been weak for a long time. I can't complain. I've been using it for almost 20 years.

I once had a starter that was weak, but it always started the engine. One day it wouldn't spin the engine. I pulled it out. The reason it wouldn't spin was because the bushing at the very end had worn completely through. Then it slipped out of place and slid back onto the starter shaft—and hung there. It prevented the little gear from moving. The gear just slid out a little and jammed against the worn-out bushing that was just hanging there. However, the starter being out was a good excuse for me to take it apart. One of the pairs of brushes was not connected. I'd been using the starter for who knows how long on one set of brushes.