97 Plymouth Breeze starter issues

I own a 97 Plymouth Breeze. It is an automatic with a 4 cylinder 2.0 liter SOHC. I bought it at 134,000 miles, and it now has 170,000. It has leaked about a half quart of oil between changes ever since I got it. In the past winter I noticed that the starter was weak, but it would always fire before three turnovers. Recently I stopped at Wal-Mart to buy a few things, and when I came out my car turned over a few times really slowly, but then stopped. I tried jumping it, but the battery is still fine. When I turn the key I can hear the starter click like it’s trying to turn the engine, but it doesn’t have enough power. My thoughts are that the issue is a worn out starter, or else the timing belt broke. Maybe someone else has a better idea of what is going on.

What do you mean “the battery is still fine” all electrical problems start at the battery. Your battery could be so “bad” that a jump would have no effect. Problem could be the battery, get it load tested. If load test is good (after charging and surface charge removed) You could have a bad starter,but look at cable cleanleness and tightness also. Dont forget to check the ground side. Dont know if you have a interference engine (is there a link to this info?) but if the belt broke on a interference engine you would get movement only until the piston hit the valves and then never again,on non-interference engine the engine would spinn effortlessly (like no compression) You need to verify battery status

The all of the other electrical parts on the car still work, and the connections are not corroded. The car does have an interference engine though. Does that mean that there is a pretty good chance that it is the timing belt?

You need to have the battery “load tested” simply because all the other systems of the car work is not good enough. Remember all electrical system problems start at the battery. Not ready to make a call on the belt yet,dont get worried to much yet. They usually break while your driving not shopping

You can rest assured that slow cranking is NOT a symptom of a broken timing belt.

If this is the original starter, it’s very possibly shot. Most larger auto parts stores can test it for you, though.