hey guys my buddy's van just broke down the other day and i've been working getting it to start. at first i thought i could be an old battery not enough cranking amps or something but when i replaced it it still would not even try to crank over.

at that point i just replaced the starter and same thing. i've looked at all the wired connections that i can physically see and they all appear to be in good condition all grounds are properly set and they only thing i have yet to check is that the hot wires are actually getting power. but all power in the van for everything else works im kinda doubting that the starter isn't getting power but i still haven't checked.

i dont believe that the engine is seized because i have been able to get it to move by hand.


any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

Not even a click when you turn key to start? Both the starter and ignition fuses good? You could start by verifying the wiring to the starter is good. Remove the starter relay and jump contacts 30 and 87 on the relay socket. The starter should spin, keys in your pocket. Verify the ign switch is good by verifying you're getting voltage at contact 86 at the starter relay when you turn the key to start. The switch has several sets of contacts that power various cicruits.

Any shift problems? TRS switch is in the tranny. It tells the PCM the van is in park or neutral. The PCM then sets the ground to the starter relay and away you go.

Any indications of data bus problems like erratic instruments or PRNDL display. Alarm system light on?

 

there was on time when he was driving home when the whole instrument panel went crazy but that was only one time and a while back, he added water to the battery and it fixed it.... as far as i can tell all fuses are good.... i am about to jump the relay to see what happens.

 

so the relay jump from 30 to 87 definitely makes the starter turn. i got the van started using that method keys in the on position. i drove it around the block and when shifting you can hear a "grinding" like noise even at a stop changing from P toR, N-R, N-D. i shut the van off after this and again it wouldn't start using normal methods.