moderators please don't lock this, it's very important i get my car running today. it's an '87 chevy celebrity with an '88 celebrity 2.5 in it. it was running fine two days ago, but when i tried to start it yesterday, it wouldn't even try to kick over. no sounds, no nothing. the battery and the starter are brand new and the lights and radio still work. i was wondering if it was a frozen fuel line, but i've been told that the car would still try to kick over with a frozen fuel line. well right now i have a tarp over the car with a couple lights underneath to try and warm up the underside. any help please.

 

RS,

OOH! OOH! Click-click!

Just joking.

What happens if you turn on the headlights and try to crank the starter? Do the lights remain on?

If we don't hear from you in ten minutes, I'll send out the search dogs...

 

yup, they stay on

 

****, did ten minutes already pass. i really need this car to start within an hour!!!!!

 

i did an oil change the day before it wouldn't run and i put 10w-30 if that helps out any.

 

RS,

If the lights remain on, you probably don't have a connection problem. More likely the starter solenoid is not working or is not getting power. When you turn the key to the START position, do you hear the starter solenoid click? Does the temperature gauge go to full scale? Do the indicator lights on the dash change?

If the temperature gauge sweeps toward full hot and the lights on the instrument panel change, your start circuit is at least being energized from the ignition switch. If you have an automatic, you may have a problem with the neutral safety switch. Try starting in NEUTRAL instead of PARK, but be ready with the brakes. If your car has a manual trans, you may have a problem with the clutch safety switch on the pedal arm.

 

well this pos has idiot lights instead of gauges, but they light up. i can't hear the starter click. and it does the same thing in neutral.

 

RS,

It sounds like you have an automatic trans.

That being the case, if you can access the starter, try a short jumper wire between the main starter positive terminal and the 'S' terminal briefly to see if the starter will crank. I'm thinking that your rebuilt starter may not be as completely rebuilt as you may have been led to believe.

If I recall the layout correctly, the starter should be hanging right out front on the little sidewinder engine.

 

i found the problem. a bad ground thanks for the help though.