Occasional starting

When I turn the key most of the time it only clicks once, and occasionally it will start.

The battery is new, and I cleaned the terminals to make sure. It is a manual clutch, and the ignition key has been loose for several years. The starter is about 7-8 years old. Can anyone tell me if it’s the

starter?

safety clutch?

ignition?

or somthing else?

Thank you for any help.

make/model/year/miles?

94 Ford Ranger
V6 3.0
235,000 (aprox)miles

slit rubber cover on battery cable hot wire and make sure wire is clean.
Then take off positive and neg wires from battery and clean ends, not at battery but other end.
If that does not fix it you know you are getting good contact and can go from there.
Its just like plumming you go down the line till you find the leak or broken part.

The next time you hear this click and it doesn’t start, take a baseball bat or something simular and give the starter a couple of good whacks. If the starter works after doing this, replace the starter.

Tester

I would expect solenoid or starter. Start with Tester’s suggestion.

Thanks.
It was just the starter.

Did you say it was just poor cable connections to the starter solenoid and to the starter motor? That happens.