'94 Starting Problem

I've got a '94 w/ a V6 in it that has been refusing to start since yesterday. When i attempt to start it, I get a rapid series of clicks. Accessories work when i turn on the key, and lights are fine. If i compression start then it will run until I turn it off and idle is right around 1k. It starts fine with a jump as well, and the starter is only about 20k miles old.

When it did not start yesterday, I checked the battery contacts and found the + termial to be loose to the point where I could pull it off. I tightened it back down, got a jump, and was on my way. If i run the car for a while after a jump, it does not make any difference when i try to start it next time.

My thoughts (which is why i'm so confused),
Not the starter, cause a jump starts it fine (and starter is newish)
Not the battery, cause accessories work at their normal capacity
Not the alternator, cause car runs fine once started at normal idle

Only other thing i'm thinking is that I have an alarm which i know nothing about (came with the car when i bought it). Could that cause these symptoms? I try disabling it but the results are the same.

Any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Brendan
brendan *at* northwestonline.com

Probably your battery. You accessories use much less current than your starter needs.

I agree now that it probably is the battery. When i compression started it yesterday the idle was about 1.4-1.5k, which is significantly higher than normal. Though now i'm having another problem. After compression starting it, I'm getting a nasty sounding metal-on-metal rubbing/clicking sound that increases in pitch & speed with the throttle. Could this have been caused by my electrical problems? It seems to be coming from the lower-half of the engine compartment towards the front, right in the middle of the car.

Freakin

Probably unrelated. When the engine is running, try and better locate the noise.