a few weeks a go the alternator died and i finally got around to getting a new one and putting it in the car but nothing happens when i turn the key. the battery is charged, the alternator is brand new, the starter is good and the starter solenoid is good too. im thinking its the ignition switch but i just want to be sure that it couldn't be something simple before i go ahead with the ignition switch.
Try starting it with the shift lever in neutral instead of park and see what happens. Check to be sure the small wire didn't fall off the solenoid
no start jump the solenoid terminals to see if the starter is not bound in any way. To do this take a momentary switch and wire it between the large terminal near the battery and the small terminal next to it. When the switch is closed the engine should spin over. Make sure you are in park and the key off. If you have no starter action at this time check the large terminal at the other side of the solenoid for 12 volts while jumping the solenoid. If you dont have a momentary switch just use a screwdriver touching the two terminals at the same time. If it spins over check your neutral saftey switch to see if it has continuity in park or neutral. Also drop the three bolts holding the column and check the starter switch for 12 volts and continuity in the run and start position. Also check your ground to the block for a good connection.
Check the battery cables and make sure you have a good ground to the frame as well as to the motor. More than once, I have seen this as the cause of the problems you described.
the positive battery terminal is only showing 3-4 volts at the starter solenoid so im thinking its just a bad terminal. could i hook jumper cables to the negative battery terminal and the starter solenoid and see if it starts or would that fry the starter solenoid?
A failed/failing ignition switch can look just like a bad alternator. I spent 3 months, and about 600 dollars replacing parts and rewiring the charging and ignition systems when the entire time it was because I had a burned out contact in my ignition switch. When the key returned to run from start it made no contact in the switch, which made every electrical system that requires key on power (alternator charge system included) think the car was turned off. But the engine would keep running because the ignition system is independent of key on power. Long story short. It's worth it to spend the 20 minutes and 10 dollars and replace your ignition switch.
NO!!! That will be disaster. the starter solenoid is Positive on both sides. One side comes from the battery and the other goes to the pos connection on the starter motor. when you turn the key to start, the solenoid internally connects both sides (positives) together and then the starter motor cranks, IF the battery is good, the starter is good, and the connections are good. If you measure 12.5 at the battery; good. Measure 12.5 at one side of the solenoid; good. (is this where you are seeing 3-4 volts?? then you have a bad connection. remove the cable and sand or wire brush till its shiny, spray with wd-40 or better, reattach.
You can measure 12.5-13 volts on the battery have good connections and measure close to 0 volts at the b+ post of the starter solenoid. If the alternator isn't charging it can and will look like an open. This can be caused by a bad ignition switch as well as bad contacts.
There is a battery cable going from the Battery + to the first side of the solenoid. The alternator will not affect the reading. The test I described is with the engine off. Make sure the Negative cables are well connected too...
It will if the engine is running. With the engine off you are correct, unless you have an open or short to ground in any of the wires that also connect there. If for some reason he had something drawing 9 volts he could very well read 13 across the battery and 4 from the solenoid B+ to ground. He never said whether HE was testing with the engine on or off. And neither did you initially.
im having the same problem i turn the key and nothing happens i can jump it from sol and bat but im getting tired of that so can someone tell me were the ignition switch is
