Starting problem..it won't!

[MisterK]

As many of you know, my car is garaged & in the winter it's covered and is trickle charged.  I take it out for a run whenever. The roads are dry, so this winter it's only been out about 4 times, the last one being 4 weeks ago. 

I've just tried to start it to get it out of the garage and let the engine warm up & unfortunately it won't play ball.  I think it's the starter motor....it clicks and labours and then there's a series of clicks but it doesn't turn over the engine.  Does this sound right? The battery is fine & fully charged.

To put it in context, the car has probably only been started a maximum of 20 times in the last 12 months, with probably only 4 starts in the last 6.  The car is nearly 16 years old and hasn't been driven a lot in the past 6 years.  Sounds like a call to the RAC when all the virus issues are over to get the car recovered to my local garage ☹

[Carolyn]

The symptoms you report are more like not enough current.

Could be corrosion on the battery posts.  It sounds like the starter is not getting a good enough supply.

Your battery could be fubared....just 'cos it seems fine- doesn't mean that it is.

To be sure, try jumping it from your daily, or borrow the battery and do a lash-up, just to see?

[MisterK]

Thanks Carolyn...sounds like a plan.  I'll give it a go & let you know how I get on 

[tets]

mine does that and I know my battery is buggered - will only hold charge for a week or so most likely that

[MisterK]

Plan worked...  
Hooked up the IQ & jumped the MR2.  Started 1st turn.  So a new battery 1st priority when the situation allows.
Now I can fit the refurbished wheels with AD08r tyres recently purchased from Matt Performance.
Thanks for your suggestion Carolyn...don't know why I didn't try jumping it in the first case 

[jonbill]

you might be able to recover it with some distilled water and bat-aid. I've recovered a couple like that.

[MisterK]

It's a Toyota sealed battery, so I don't think it's recoverable.   

Oh well, I've put the new wheels on, taken the hardtop off and it's now back in the garage, battery disconnected, waiting for the current situation to improve so I can venture out and buy a new one.  Let's hope it's not too long before myself & everyone else can get out with the roof down & enjoy some topless motoring 

[Topdownman]

Good to hear you have diagnosed the problem Mark.

Have you thought about having a battery delivered;

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=69060.0