put a 351w in my 91 gt cant get it to turn over by the key i can jump the starter slonoid and it will start. I have replaced the sloniod, starter switch and the ingnition. but still wont start by the key. does any one have any answers. thanks james
Since some of the tests will bypass the safety interlocks, make sure that the car is in neutral and the parking brake is set. Becoming a pancake isn’t part of the repair process…
Check battery, terminal connections, ground, starter relay switch (also known as solenoid) and starter in that order.
1.) Will the car start if it is jumped? Then clean battery terminals and check battery.
2.) Check the battery to engine block ground, and the ground behind the engine to the firewall.
3.) Jump the big terminals on the starter relay next to the battery with a screwdriver - watch out for the sparks! If the engine cranks, the starter and power wiring is good. The starter relay is also known as a starter solenoid.
4.) Then pull the small push on connector (red wire) off the starter relay (Looks like it is stuck on a screw). Then jump between the screw and the terminal that is connected to the battery. If it starts, the relay is good and your problem is in the rest of the circuit.
6.) The starter may be hung, loosen up the bolts that hold it on, and give it a good whack with a big hammer. Tighten up the bolts and try again.
7.) If that doesn't work, use a jumper cable from the positive lead on the battery direct to the starter post where the big wire from the relay connects. If it cranks then, it is the power wire from the relay gone bad. This will be hard to do, since there isn't much room to do it.
8.) Pull the starter and take it to Autozone or Pep Boys and have them test it. Starter fails test, then replace it. If you got this far, the starter is probably bad.
i have the same problem. i am pretty sure the switch went bad under the dash. or possible that the small wire to the solinoid is shorted and not getting power to the solinoid to signal it to start the motor. mine was working. then it stopped. it started one more time afterwards and now won't work. i don't think that is going to be the starter. like you said it already starts fine when you jump the posts on the solinoid.you should test the voltage on the small wire that goes to the middle of the solinoid. it just slips on there. that sends power to the solinoid to complete the circuit so the starter will get it's power.
is it a 5 spd? is the small wire that goes on between the post connected? this wire also has something to do with the clutch pedal in only start up i believe. (wow that sentance has 7 dangling participles)
I am using a msd 6al With a blaster 2 coil orginal 5.0. running a c4 tranny I have put a jumper wire in the neutral safety switch. I am guessing that have a bad ground BC not getting any power to the wire from the ingnition. ??????