Ok guys i searched the forums and cant find anything like im experiencing so here goes..89 Gta i replaced the battery and the starter ..Battery is about 4 days old and starter maybe a month..When i turn key to crank I can hear the starter solenoid engage (click as it should ) but thats it ..Car wont crank. All wires are tight ..I can also hear the relay clicking in the kick panel...Enable relay i believe..So anyone had these problems before ..Bad ground maybe ..Car will start when jumped by the way..But a new batt should not need a jump...Any advice is as always very much appreciated

 

Have you checked the voltage on your battery with a voltmeter before you try to start it?

 

No i left the darn thing at work...Interesting side note though..All lights nice and bright, Fan speeds all work nice and high..Volt gauge in car has it about 12 or so...Also after i first put the battery in it it did the same thing 3 to 4 times before it started but then cranked and fired right up...Thats why im leaning towards grounds at this point..Of course its getting ready to head for paint soon so this is just what i needed

 

So what does that show you?

Everything is working fine ( grounds good ) when you bypass the battery and apply power direct to the system.
Possible your batt terminals are bad and making a good enough connection to power things up
but not pass enough ( Hi ) current to spin the starter.
Or corrosion inside where wire is joined to terminal? ( not uncommon )

All of course , assuming the new battery is actually good

 

Agreed that i may have a bad connection inside one of my cables at the crimp...However i dont see how i eliminated the ground side ..If i am jumping the car via cables i am hooking up grounds and power would my car then find its ground from the jump car ?..I am going to try and borrow a multi meter from my father inlaw as i dont go back till tuesday..Im going to ohm out every cable on this PIA car ..If all else fails im going to jump start it and run her into a bridge lol

 

Correct.
You could start and run your engine with no battery in the car if jumpered from another car / battery
System is using ground path to neg terminal of whatever battery that is supplying power

 

Ok an update for those looking at a no start as well...Battery is good i brought home meter and tested it..I replaced the ground..I replaced the positive cable end...i ohmed out the cable it is good...Still solenoid engages but starter does not spin..I removed the starter and bench tested it...Starter tests good...So im gonna pull it again and shim it...I think the bendix on the starter is hitting the flywheel which doesn't allow it to fully extend and spin..Any members have any thoughts on this im all ears lol....