98 Jimmy no start no crank good battery

[Cavsgt]

Hey all, I got a problem with my 98 GMC Jimmy SLS 4 WD. Ran fine a few days ago the when I tried to start it in the morning ...nothing. checked the starter switch, battery, all the lights and stereo come on but no start. Any thought?

 

[MrMarty51]

Get a probe/test light. Get underneath, hook the wire of the probe light to a good grounding source. Shove the probe to the little purple wire terminal on the starter solenoid, have someone turn the ignition switch to start, if the test lamp dont illuminate, possible a bad ignition switch.
Be sure to test the test lamp before relying on it for an accurate indicator. Hook it to the battery before going to all the trouble of crawling unnerneath the outfit.

 

[Cavsgt]

Ok thanks I'll try that.

 

[dbrannon79]

Could also be a safety neutral switch if automatic or the clutch safety switch if you have and manual tranny

something else I just thought of is does your cluster have a security light on? If it’s got the gm passlock or an aftermarket alarm installed that might be malfunctioning

 

[Husker6.5]

And 95's are known for bad ignition switches (not the key cylinder).

 

[Cavsgt]

Well, I had to take a few days off from this because I bought a Dodge ram van b2500. Damn thing blew the head gasket and I think a seal while going down the freeway same day I bought it. Now I got one day before my new job starts and I'm back to troubleshooting to this Jimmy. It's a 1998. It has a button that you only find by taking the bottom of the steering column off just behind the stearing wheel. That releases the key I guess maybe it doesn't automatically when the cover is on but it wasn't working properly but that was that's not the problem also there's a release underneath the center console that releases the gear shifter I finally found that I got it to go into neutral so I can get it out of the road I charged the battery up completely and the dash lights all come back on and the idiot lights but it's still just clicks one time when I try to start it I'm starting to think it's just the starter but I'm not sure cuz it started never seemed like it was going bad no hard start or nothing.

 

[Cavsgt]

Get a probe/test light. Get underneath, hook the wire of the probe light to a good grounding source. Shove the probe to the little purple wire terminal on the starter solenoid, have someone turn the ignition switch to start, if the test lamp dont illuminate, possible a bad ignition switch.
Be sure to test the test lamp before relying on it for an accurate indicator. Hook it to the battery before going to all the trouble of crawling unnerneath the outfit.

Problem with that suggestion is that I can't jack it up because I'm on an incline and it's partially dropped blocking the parking lot entryway so it's kind of difficult to do this test and the starter is down underneath the engine and I can't actually crawl under the vehicle because it's too low for some reason I've never had a truck that was this low but I guess it's standard for this year Jimmy

 

[Cavsgt]

Get a probe/test light. Get underneath, hook the wire of the probe light to a good grounding source. Shove the probe to the little purple wire terminal on the starter solenoid, have someone turn the ignition switch to start, if the test lamp dont illuminate, possible a bad ignition switch.
Be sure to test the test lamp before relying on it for an accurate indicator. Hook it to the battery before going to all the trouble of crawling unnerneath the outfit.

the vehicle it's on a slant so I started I don't think I could jack it up or should also is there any spot I could check above the engine for the same thing same issue,?

 

[Cavsgt]

Apologies MrMarty51, guess I'm just wornout from these vehicles. Plus I'm in Seattle and the constant rain just started today, ha.

 

[MrMarty51]

Apologies MrMarty51, guess I'm just wornout from these vehicles. Plus I'm in Seattle and the constant rain just started today, ha.

No apologies necessary. I understand Your frustration. Been there myself.
Find a wiring diagram, at the firewall bulk head harness connector there should be the neutral safety wire comes out of that connector. You can probe the wire there but it still will take someone to crank over the switch to start position to see if there is voltage headed to the starters solenoid wire.
On second thought, You say it gives one click, one click or clunk is the sign of a bad starter. Multiple clicks for as long as the key is held to start is low voltage.

 

[Husker6.5]

Apologies MrMarty51, guess I'm just wornout from these vehicles. Plus I'm in Seattle and the constant rain just started today, ha.

I did two rotations through Ft. Lewis, WA, back in the early 80's and again in the mid 90's. We had the joke 'How can you tell it's summer in Seattle? The rain gets warmer.'

 

[Husker6.5]

Yeah, one "click" and nothing is usually a sign of a failed starter solenoid, not uncommon at all, especially if PO had replaced a bad starter with a cheap chain store reman unit - those are notorious for using cheap Chinese junk solenoids on them. A series of clicks, like a woodpecker, is usually a sign of low voltage (or high resistance at a connector) to the starter solenoid.

It'll be worth the effort to push/drag the Jimmy to where you can get the front of it up high enough to pull the starter and take it to your friendly parts store where they will bench test it for free. If it's bad, buy another cheap reman starter to get you back on the road for the next couple of years. If it tests out good, go put it back on and try starting it again, it may fire off as reinstalling it may have made the solenoid (purple wire) connection better to pass full voltage to the solenoid. If it still doesn't engage, time to go wiring hunting for the culprit.

 

[Cavsgt]

No apologies necessary. I understand Your frustration. Been there myself.
Find a wiring diagram, at the firewall bulk head harness connector there should be the neutral safety wire comes out of that connector. You can probe the wire there but it still will take someone to crank over the switch to start position to see if there is voltage headed to the starters solenoid wire.
On second thought, You say it gives one click, one click or clunk is the sign of a bad starter. Multiple clicks for as long as the key is held to start is low voltage.

Same thought I had. Replacing the starter now. Thanks

 

[Cavsgt]

Ok guys I got under it. Replaced the starter and now it clicks rapidly when I turn the key. Gonna try to get a jump here in a minute. Wish me luck.

 

[Cavsgt]

Yeah, one "click" and nothing is usually a sign of a failed starter solenoid, not uncommon at all, especially if PO had replaced a bad starter with a cheap chain store reman unit - those are notorious for using cheap Chinese junk solenoids on them. A series of clicks, like a woodpecker, is usually a sign of low voltage (or high resistance at a connector) to the starter solenoid.

It'll be worth the effort to push/drag the Jimmy to where you can get the front of it up high enough to pull the starter and take it to your friendly parts store where they will bench test it for free. If it's bad, buy another cheap reman starter to get you back on the road for the next couple of years. If it tests out good, go put it back on and try starting it again, it may fire off as reinstalling it may have made the solenoid (purple wire) connection better to pass full voltage to the solenoid. If it still doesn't engage, time to go wiring hunting for the culprit.

As much as I had trouble as I had getting that thing off I wasn't going to just put it back on I went ahead and just got another reman

 

[Cavsgt]

If this all works out I'm going to really regret getting rid of my van cuz I could have fixed that too

 

[Cavsgt]

Well no joy. Just clicks rapidly but the battery shows 11.69 volts

 

[Cavsgt]

Ok, here's the thing, sometimes it just clicks once, then I try a second time, it clicks rapidly again. Earlier I was mistaken the battery reads 12.40

 

[Husker6.5]

Your battery is low. A fully charged battery is 12.2-12.6 volts. Get a jump start. Let is charge off of the other vehicle running at fast idle for about 5 minutes before trying to start.

 

[Cavsgt]

Ok I'll try that soon as I can get a jump. My jump box is a piece of crap.