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'98 GT 3.8 won't crank

A

Avant Sport

New member
Hi, my daughters 1998 GP GT won't turn over, this was after it started 5 minutes earlier before she stopped for gas. I don't believe it's the battery or connections as lights and horn work well. It doesn't even make a click at the starter. I tried in park and nuetral with no luck, we also tried jumper cables, no luck. Any ideas? Her car is at a convenient store and I don't think they want it there, lol. Thanks, Tom
 


short in your starter wires? Possibly a ground too, my buddy had a ground come loose from his car and his did the same thing
 


wont crank or turn over at all, starter does nothing. Headlights are strong as is the horn. I am not with the car so I can't easily check if headlights dim with turning the key. I will go check fuses, thanks!!
 


It sounds exactly like a fuse issue. It couldn't really be anything else. I'm guessing the when she turned the car off to get gas, a fuse popped.
 


If it's not a fuse...

If the bearing in the starter is gone, the rotor rubs against the stator and shorts out the starter. As dsmuts said, try to give it a shot while turning the key. If this is the case though, most of the time, with the lights on, they will dim as there is now a short in the system. As there is nothing when you turn the key, it sounds like a neutral safety switch or the ignition cylinder, most likely the neutral safety switch

If the starter was bad, the starter selenoid would still click, so I doube there is any power getting to the starter selenoid. Double check and see if you are getting voltage on the purple wire of the starter when someone turns ignition to start. If you get voltage, your problem is the starter.

Try this (found this on another site)...

Here's basic step-by step instructions on how to adjust the neutrsl safety switch.

The neutral safety switch is located On the transmission right near where it meets the engine. You will see the arm and shift cable right on top of it when you look below the master cylinder.

-Start with the car off and set the parking brake
-Place the car in Neutral
-Find the PRNDL switch and loosen (dont remove) the two bolts holding it to the trans
-Have an assistant jump in the car and attempt to start it
-if no start have the assistant hold the key in the start position
-you go grasp the PRNDL switch and adjust it one way or another untill the car starts
-Tighten the bolts down
-Attempt to start the car in both Park and Neutral, and verify your backup lights function
-repeat process untill everything works, test drive.
Click to expand...

Ian
 
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On my mom and dads mountaineer the ground wire from the starter to the block broke in half and the lights wouldn't dim or anything just wouldn't start.
 
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