Help With An '87 323.

[HiMyNameIsJosh]

Hi I drive an 87 323 four door. The other day it was having a hard time starting, I would turn the ignition and the engine would roll over and just keep rolling. So I would stop, wait a second and try it again. After a while it would work, but this happened over a few days, around the third day the engine would roll over and the battery would die. I would jump the car and it would start right up. While driving though when I would stop, and then start to go again, twice the car would start to chug like crazy, and then stall, I would have to turn the key again, and again, and eventually it would start and I would be able to get to my destination.
I brought it into a shop and had a full diagnostic run on it. The mechanic determined that the problem had to do with the spark plugs and some of the wiring hooplah, so I had him tune it up. After that it would start up fine.
Now the night after that there was an insane snowstorm, and the wind blew to temps as low as -15 f. The day after that, the car wouldn't start. The battery was dead again or something.
I tried jumping it, and the engine would turn over but it wouldn't start.
I had the jumper cables on the battery for about a half of an hour.
That didn't work so I thought maybe the battery froze?
I brought it inside to warm it up and tried again, the turn-over sounded a little stronger but it still wouldn't start. This morning I went out to try and start it and the battery was dead again.
The mechanic said everything was fine, because I questioned the alternator.
So I've been confined to my room for two days now, I was wondering if anyone might have any suggestions.

[Doug Tatham]

Go to autozone or discount auto parts and have them check your battery and charging system. Clean your idle control valve so that it runs fast enough to keep the battery charged. I think you have a dying battery and it's just not putting out enough amps to start the car in colder weather.

[HiMyNameIsJosh]

okay so I went to autozone with my battery and got them to charge it, they said it was all good and stuff, and I put it back in my car today and here's the deal.
Now it turns over and over and over and over when I try to start it, but it wont fire up. It's just repetetive turn overs. They're pretty consistant turnovers, but the car just wont start.

[Doug Tatham]

Try some starting spray. If it turns over you have a fuel problem. If not, it's ignition. Let us know when you've narrowed it down to one of these.