99 cavy ignition

When I bought my 1999 cavalier with 50 000 km it would sometimes not respond when you'd turn the key, and then putting it into neutral and letting it roll a bit would get it started right away. After a while the problem started getting more frequent, and then it started making a grinding noise occasionally when it started. Every once in while it wouldn't start even in neutral, so I started hitting the starter with my ice scraper and turning the key and that would start it. It's been like that for a while and now when I go to start it, it makes a clicking noise like the battery is dead, the lights dim and the only way to start it is with a jump.

I've heard replacing the ignition switch on 99 cavaliers can sometimes fix a problem that they have but this doesn't sound like an ignition switch to me. Maybe the alternator? The battery gets drained after about 3 seconds of the car being off.

Thanks for any help.

Replace your starter. If tapping it with something makes it go then there is an open inside it. Also replace your battery, it is no longer holding a charge. Chances are it is the original. A day over 5 years on a battery and you can consider yourself lucky.