Hello all! I have a 1974 Oldsmobile 98 with the original 455. I went to start it the other day and it turned over a few times and then I stopped turning the ignition (didn't want to flood it) and I went to turn it over and nothing! Starter doesn't engage or click or do anything I have power to the entire vehicle all my windows seats lights everything except engine. It won't click or turn or nothing. I replaced the starter today and it still doesn't do an damn thing can anyone tell me what went wrong?

 

Bad starter solenoid? Do you get power to the solenoid when you turn the key?

 

No. Nobody can, unless you provide us with more information and do some troubleshooting (though you're welcome to keep replacing random parts until the car runs).

The first thing I would do would be to check the neutral safety switch at the base of the steering column. If it has a bad connection or is out of alignment, this will happen.

Sit in the car and push the gear selector up, as though shifting past Park, and then turn the key while pushing the lever.
If that doesn't work, pull the plug with the purple wires off of the switch at the base of the column and short the wires together with a paper clip and see if it will crank.
If that doesn't work, then stick a test light or voltmeter between ground and each of the terminals of the purple wires and see it it lights up / reads 12V when you try to crank.
If one wire does light up, then run a 12V jumper to the other wire and the starter should crank.
If you can't get any current at the purple wire, your ignition switch is probably bad - drop the column and test it directly.
If you do get current, but still nothing at the starter, then you need to carefully clean all connections and grounds to the starter and solenoid and try again.

That's a start for you anyway.

- Eric

 

No john its not the solenoid as that was replaced with the starter and is tested in working order. Thanks though.

 

Hey Eric. What info do you need? It is not the seatbelt ignition kill I know that as when that happens the seatbelt light and warning chime come on and all I do is push the starter button under the hood to reset it. This is not the case. I was suspecting the ignition could have gone bad as well. All leads to starter and terminals are clean not corroded or dirty. I will try what you have sad to do with the gear select.and go from there when I get off work.

 

Ground lead?

 

If nine of the above pans out, you can attach a jumper to the S terminal of the starter (the one easiest to reach, away from the block, toward the left fender) and touch it to the (+) battery terminal.
If it spins over, the problem's definitely in the wiring before the solenoid.

- Eric

 

Check your hot lead connector and ground first if it's still a no go buy pass everything with a direct jumper to the starter it should bump over. If not you have problems with the starter. Sounds like a bad ground to me....Tedd

 

Eric i tried what you said to do and that didn't work. Well I'm going to also check the terminals on the coil. Cause I know if its loose then nothing will happen. And I'm going to have to get under the car again and jump it of the coil doesn't work. Also. I can't find an ignition fuse on the fuse block. Maybe this could be the problem. Where's the fuse at?

 

There is no ignition fuse, and this does not sound coil related.

Jump the S terminal to (+) and see if she cranks.

- Eric.

 

Hook a voltmeter to the "S" terminal and see if your have 12v when you turn the key to start.

 

Thanks for all your guys help! I'm at work now but I'll try getting to these test trials tonight after work. It has to be the wiring my starter and solenoid and brand new tested in working order. And the wires are on there snug. I'll also put the old coil on to see if maybe the coil went out? I need to get this thing running again. Lol. Its my first Oldsmobile.

 

Once again, the coil has nothing to do with cranking.

- Eric

 

X2, the ignition coil has nothing to do with cranking the engine.

 

Well I've had to tell you guys a few times now my solenoid is not the problem since I've heard that now from everyone repeatedly. But thanks I will disregard the coil.

 

Most are not saying your solenoid is bad, just to check for the 12v to it on the "S" post when you turn the key to start.