help 98 turbo.

Jan 28, 2006 3 Replies

i know VERY little about cars so please help



tried starting my subaru wrx 98 model today and when i tuned the key at the last click it kept on ticking and would not start. kind of like a ticking noise you would here 5 times a second. like a mackine gun ha ha.



anyway i was thinking spark plugs or the starter moter. but wanted to see what anyone else thought and a price aswell that i would be looking to pay



thanks in advance



One possibility is a weak battery. If your battery is more than 5 years old this is likely. The starter solenoid (clicky thing) only requires a small amount of current. The engine requires more than 100 times as much current. You have enough current to engage the starter solenoid. When the engine then tries to turn over, it lowers the voltage too much and the solenoid turns off. This turns off the engine. You now have enough current to turn the starter solenoid on again. Congratulations, you have an oscillator. Click, click, click. Why your battery is weak could have several causes. Old battery or charging system problem. Be very careful if you go into a chain store (after jump start or tow) for this that they don't sell you shocks, tires, water pumps, starters etc. that you don't need. If they say "I wouldn't even drive this car home" drive away immediately (unless you are one out of a million.)

Battery or battery connections could be the cause.

thanks a lot for your help especially you speednxs, it was a weak battery afterall.

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