One loud click no start
 

2005 Saturn ion 2.2 had all the symptoms of a bad starter it slowly starting dragging more and more over time then turned to also grinding till eventually I’ve got nothing. Everything inside works as far as electronics inside and just to make sure it wasn’t the battery I snatched the one out of my truck and hooked it up. Any ideas?

So change the starter? Could be stuck.

Got a brand new one I'll sell for 60 shipped in the states

Whoops I clearly forgot to add one important detail that I did put a new starter in. After that all I get is still the click

When when was the last time you checked your oil?
Now is a good time.

Please let us know.

It leaks like a sob and it was a little low but it’s since been topped off and the motor ran perfectly fine right up until I couldn’t crank it

Is the "click" coming from the starter ?

Yes only the starter

I'd double check the connections at the starter for correct and tight fit. Then I'd check and clean both battery cables and make sure that ground cable is tight. It sounds like a loose connection to me. BUT, I'm NOT a professional mechanic!

I concur. It is also possible that there is an issue with the cable itself somewhere between the ends.

Did you test the starter before you installed it? Maybe the new solenoid is not working correctly. The solenoid pushes the drive into the flywheel before spinning the starter. The click you hear might be the solenoid pushing the drive into the flywheel and the starter might be bad. Do you have a volt meter? Measure the voltage while attempting to crank the engine. If the voltage stays above 12 the solenoid is not trying to spin the starter. If the voltage drops to 10.5-11 volts the starter is trying to spin a stuck engine.