car won't crank need help

[NJCstang]

I need some help figuring out the wiring in my 90 hatch. I bought the car not running and have been working to get up and running. The car has a brand new battery in the trunk, brand new 3g alt., a brand new starter and a brand new starter solenoid. I have followed all the directions that I could find but I am still having problems. There is a 1/0 gage wire from the solenoid to the cutoff switch. The other side of the switch runs to the battery positive. The battery negative is grounded to the quad shock bracket. I have other grounds running from the engine to the swaybar bracket and from the sway bar bracket to the frame where the computer ground is. There is also another ground that is on the passenger side firewall running to the engine. The alternator has a 4g power wire running from the post to the battery cable side of the cutoff switch. On the starter solenoid I have the 1/0 wire to the cutoff switch on one side along with a green fusible link, a yellow wire that runs to four fusible links and a blue fusible link. The other side of the solenoid had a single 4g wire running to the post on the starter. Then there is a red with blue stripe wire running to the screw on the top of the solenoid. With everything connected when I turn the key to the on position the dash lights up and I hear the fuel pump trying to do something. It doesn’t sound like normal it is a very loud noise that last for about 10-15 seconds When I try to crank the car nothing happens. No sound at all. I tried to jump the large studs of the solenoid and I just get a spark but nothing happens. I replaced the starter and still nothing. I also cannot get the radio to come on and the horn won’t blow. Can anyone point me in the right direction. What should I be looking for? It seems like maybe something isn’t connected with only some things getting power. Help please this is driving me crazy. Thanks everyone.

 

[NJCstang]

ttt

 

[jrichker]

You have a bad ground or bad connection in the power feed circuit. Fix the ground & power feed problems first and then chase the no crank problem if it is still around.

Rear mounted battery ground wiring. Follow this plan and you will have zero
ground problems.

One 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from battery negative post to a clean shiny spot
on the chassis near the battery. Use a 5/16” bolt and bolt it down to make the
rear ground. Use a 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from the rear ground bolt to a clean
shiny spot on the block.

One 4 gauge wire from the block where you connected the battery ground wire to
the chassis ground where the battery was mounted up front. Use a 5/16” bolt
and bolt down the 4 gauge engine to chassis ground, make sure that it the metal
around the bolt is clean & shiny. This is the alternator power ground.

The computer has a dedicated power ground wire with a cylindrical quick connect
(about 2 ½”long by 1” diameter. It comes out of the wiring harness near the
ignition coil & starter solenoid (or relay). Be sure to bolt it to the chassis ground
in the same place as you bolted the alternator power ground. This is an
absolute don’t overlook it item for EFI cars

Picture courtesy timewarped1972

Crimp or even better, solder the lugs on the all the wire. The local auto stereo
shop will have them if the auto parts store doesn't. Use some heat shrink tubing
to cover the lugs and make things look nice.

No crank checklist: do this only after you have fixed the ground & power feed problem that you have.

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.

A voltmeter is handy if you are familiar with how to use it to find bad connections. Measure the voltage drop across a connection: more than .5 volts across a connection indicates a problem.
See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103 for help

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.

5.) Remember to check the ignition switch, neutral safety switch on auto trans and the clutch safety switch on manual trans cars. If they are good, then you have wiring problems. See http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/large/0900823d80195963.gif for 88-90 year cars .OR see http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/large/0900823d80195964.gif for 91-93 year cars. See http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1d/db/3c/0900823d801ddb3c.jsp for 94-95 model cars.

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.