V6 four cam 24 1993 LE won't start - help please!

[Camryfam1993]

Hi,

My family car won't start. When key on contact, signals come up normaly, we can activate windows etc. The car was boosted, battery seems to have power.

When I turn the key to start the car, it makes a dry loud mechanical noise after a second, like rakakaka, not like a cough. More like something is ticking/clicking but with no power and of course the motor doesn't start.

It seems the problem could be the spark plugs.

I am way not qualified to go dig them up to check them, clean them or change them.

If you know a bit of mechanics and are in the city of Montreal, close to Verdun neighborhood, would you please, please come help me check it out and figure what can and should be done with my car?

Thank you so very much!

Camryfam1993

[TrailDust]

"The battery seems to have power" is one thing, but have you had it tested? Sounds like the battery has enough juice to run basic electrical systems but not enough to turn the engine over. How old is the battery?

[Camryfam1993]

Thanks TrailDust,
Indeed the battery is very old, maybe as old as the car itself.

As it is, we tried to charge the battery for 15 minutes without attempting to start the engine. We then started it and IT STARTED!

After that, we let it run a bit. A half hour later I started it again, and we noticed that the more we start it, the quicker it starts.

So we might be looking at a new battery of course, maybe a check up of the alternator and maybe cleaning the spark plugs.

Now that it's starting again, I'll try to get it to a garage to have it diagnosed.

Do you have an idea of what the problem could be, knowing the new info?

Thank you so much!

[TrailDust]

I would say it's the battery based on your description. I'd add that once a battery gets beyond 5 years (less for places with temperature extremes) you're operating on borrowed time and it's better to replace the battery early than to have it fail at a bad time, and if there's one cosmic truth in this universe and that is batteries love to fail at the worst possible time.