Intermittant starting problem. The electric starter fails to operate - no engine turnover. Usually starts after a couple of attempts. Happens whether stand is up or down.

1998 PLYMOUTH Voyager. (no engine told at all) options day1.there are
4 engines (USA) 2.4, 3.0, 3.3 and 3.8L I will attempt to read all 4 , for you..
do jumper cable starts fail too.>??hummmmmmmmmmj
do battery load tests fail? Hummmmmmmmmmm
when it does run is battery at 13.3, to 15vdc , if not ALT IS BAD!
starter dead, starter motor dead silent or clicks/chatters dead
or stater motor cranks the engine fast but the engine will not start and stay runnning
which is it, I can not guess. and invites vast wrong answers.
we cant hear your starter motor see? (electric motor it is)
ok starter is silent (dead = silent i hope)
so is the transmission in park if yes good of fails there on all cars. step 2 is shift to neutral,(hand brake set)
and crank it now in neutral, the operators guide tells how.
causes lots. for sure intermittent.
bad battery for sure some go intermittent seen it vast times 50 years/
battery lugs all 4 end rusty or loose or OMG all.
starter relay dead in PDC. or intermittent as all just love to do.
fuses blown or just loose. fuse 10 or 23 loose. Or burned a bit.
USA car? I answer only in the USA context are you?
when folks post here I read your shop manual to see what is there.
like IMMO , alarms and any secuity options and IP cluster lamps named the same. or far far worse remote start hacks bull.
the relay starter is fully under control of PCm
that means PCM logic dicates all starts on this car.
that means if the TCM shows wrong gear selected PCM blocks cranking, TCM is the tranny brain,. PRNDL is the input that fails.

also the ASD automatic shut down relay must not be failing (to stay energized)
the PCM</TCM
if scanned will tell you what is failiing in many cases
P0705 ( tcm error for shift selector PNRLD is dead wrong) all P07xx codes are tranny not one can be ignore for sure 705

705 means I can not see what gear you are in PRNDL.
so starter cranking is not allowed. (for sure not in gear)

most likely its a starter motor showing its first signs of going bad , as it's Russian roulette whether the motor stops on the bad spot in starter motor or not

eventually it will cease to work at all but could go for months that way

especially if its the original starter from 2003 (think how many times its started the car since then)

If you are hearing clicks when you turn the key and if you know where the starter is, get under there and tap it with a hammer. Sounds archaic but when they start to go bad they stick. When you turn the key, the starter acts like the old hand crank you see in movies to spin the engine. When you release the key the starter believes it did its job and goes dormant. Anyway, if you hear clicks when you turn the key and if it starts after hitting it that is likely your problem.

If what you're trying to say is that the engine will start when you turn your ignition key to the 'start' position but then quits as soon as you allow the key to revert to the 'run' position, that's exactly how our 2000 Caravan is sometimes acting this winter (earlier, in warmer weather, the symptom was that the starter sometimes would not run in the 'start' position).

I'm still researching possibilities (since the van, while worrisome, still always eventually runs), but my current suspected culprit is deterioration of the contacts in the ignition switch (you can find references to this kind of intermittent switch behavior in Web searches, which is how I happened upon your question). I'll try to get back here later to say how things worked out for us and with more detail on how to replace the electrical portion of the switch if that's indeed the problem.

Sounds like you lost the serpentine belt, which runs the alternator. When you heard the ticking sound, did you notice if the battery light came on, Check the belt and fully charge the battery. Do not jump a dead battery. Wear safety glasses when servicing a battery, an explosion and acid hazard exist

I finally solved the intermittant starting problem on my Kohler 12 RES by replacing the strater and the starter relay. I was also experiencing the occassional OC indication, red blinking LEDs on the ATS, and intermittent non-starts during the weekly exercises. The problem happened during power outages a couple times also. If I flipped the start switch between auto and run quickly the generator would occasionally start. Once started, the generator runs fine. I ordered a new starter, which included the starter solenoid. By the way, don't worry about the genuine part thing..the old starter was a Delco made overseas. I ordered a new starter online for $85 (6744N) and it was indentical to the genuine Kohler starter. Replaced the starter and it improved the problem but did not totally solve the intermittent starting. Ordered the starter relay (GM49746) replaced it and the problem is solved.

sounds like the starter solenoid is shot., Make sure the engine is not seized.

It sounds like your starter solenoid (relay) is failing. The clicking is a classic symptom. It's time to have it replaced.

A starter solenoid (or starter relay) is the part of an automobile which relays a large electric current to the starter motor, which in turn sets the engine in motion .In many vehicles the solenoid also engages the starter pinion with the ring gear of the engine.

The starter solenoid receives a large electric current from the car battery and a small electric current from the ignition switch. When the ignition switch is turned on, a small electric current is sent to the starter solenoid. This causes the starter solenoid to close a pair of heavy contacts, thus relaying a large electric current to the starter motor, which in turn sets the engine in motion. The starter motor is an electric motor that initiates piston motion in a car's internal combustion engine before it can power itself.

Is the battery holding a charge?

may i please ask? is this problem related to the battery failing to start engine? ie turns slow ? or not turn over? suspect battery? changed battery still same prob ? changed alternator suspect not charging ? still prob exists ?? so you have eliminated these?and drive belt is tight ? when ?i assume you have to start? do you use jump leads? and starter works ? if so using this method advise you check the earth/ground lead from battery to where it connects to engine? and ensure clean/secure ? also there may be another earth lead from engine to chassis ? if these are not good condition as above then intermittant sarting problems occure especially from initial cold start giving suspect battery of failing to charge battery indicated by poor starter operation if you could give any info as to what happens that suspect not charge would assist on exactly is happening to your vehicle best wishes from uk