I have just completed swapping out my seized 93 3.0vze for a 95 3.0vze. Had trans rebuilt. Once everything was all back together, went to start her up.... and it was a very underwhelming nothing. Have replaced starter as was planned. Checked all my grounds. Fixed my "accidentally pulled out circuit board" on the vafm. It was flashing the 24 & 31 fault codes.. So now with no codes and a new starter, and from what I can gather as everything done right.... still not anything more than the starter relay closing..

Anyone got ideas? I am very close to pulling out the new starter and having it tested.. but trying eveything else at the same time.

Thanks

 

so all u get is a clicking sound from the starter? check to make sure the 12v smaller wire is on the starter and that when u turn over the key that u get 12 volts at the starter. also look over the larger wire that goes from battery to starter that its not damaged or cut. i have seen it before and would not kick over the starter.

 

efi fuse in good order? wires and battery terminals all secure? COR relay working properly?

 

Have previously checked for voltage... all wires seem intact. Even checked wire from battery to fuse box. As for efi and cor.... everything seems good. Have ran through possiblility of neutral safety being issue.. was going to jump it to rule it out but couldn't quite determine which wires to jump.

 

Oh.. as for clicking sound, on account of road noise, best I can say is that im pretty sure the relay just clicks. I have even jumped out the relay. No dice.

Also, what lights will remain on if the key is simply in the on position? I thought maybe the engine and battery lights would remaun lit. However, I also have the "a/t oil temp" and "brake" light still on. Was thinking maybe I am having an issue with that area of harness.. all APPEARS normal

 

so it sounds like the starter is not spinning, for the starter to spin it has to get a 12 volt power to the top wire that is hard to see when its installed. its the little black clip that if that doesnt get 12 volts to it it wont spin, if u are getting 12 volts there then i would say u have a bad starter, if u don't have the manual u can pull the plug on the trans and using a continuity tester and see if when in park u have continuity threw the plug.

 

Thats what I was figuring on the lack of 12v. And considering I jumped the relay, there must be a safety switch open somewhere between the relay and the starter.my issue with the checking the switch, I cant. The guy that rebuilt the trans welded the gear selector arm onto the rod the neutral safety switch mounts on. So I cant pull the switch off or adjust it while on to be sure its set right. Which is a concern of mine. That he may have put it back together with the switch just out of alignment. And on account of physical location, can't check the male end from the trans for continuity. I was figuring the switch will have two wires I need to locate: the feed in and out. Looking at the HAYNES manual, I can see which terminals go together. Was hoping to locate the opposite end of that harness however so I can check for continuity while the plug is in. If that explanation made sense. I am an hvac service tech, so I know how to troubleshoot electrical and read schematics. Only problem is, the schematics I have dont quite match up. Nor do the tell me where to look for the other end of that plug.

 

Just checked voltage to the little wire: with key on and a jumper in the relay, ive got 8 volts going in. Which would lead me to believe that either the wire is compromised or my jumper is adding too much resistance. I can run a hot lead to this connection right? Just bypass all that other garbage in the way to see if the starter will turn....

 

Development: jumped out the starter and she finally fired! But, went to put her in gear, and nothing. Parking brake is off. If I put her in neutral she will roll. So I know the linkage is good and the gear selection is right. It has to be in the plug / harness dealing with the lights that are on. Those lights being the "brake" and "a/t oil temp" lights. Is this in the same plug as the neutral safety? I would assume the parking brake sensor may be..

 

Looks like its off to the transmission guy. When he welded the control arm back on, the neutral switch was not aligned properly. Jumped it out and she starts and drives after adding trans fluid.

 

good to see that u are getting the rig going.... and only reason he would weld something on is if he broke something when he was taking it all apart....

 

Yeah.. he said "these bolts always break" .... translates to "i broke it"