I have got a new battery, checked all the fuses and connections. I even took the starter to Autozone, it tested good three times. There is no clicking or ticking basically nothing. I checked all the ground wires they all good. I even took a piece of wire connected it to the negative terminal and took the other end and clamped to the case of the starter and still nothing. I took a test light connected it to the wire that is coming off the harness and connects to the starter, took the other end and connected it to the negative terminal. Then I turned the key over and the test light came on and when I turn the key all the way it gets brighter, but the starter refuses to work.

Any suggestions.

 

Check for 12V on the starter wire.

Check for 12V on the BLK/WHT wire. (when you turn the key)

If you get 12V on both, then inspect the ground cable that goes from battery to chassis as well as the ground cable from chassis to transmission. If both of them "look" good, verify them by hooking one end of a jumper cable to the NEG post of the battery and then clamp the other end to the starter or transmission.

If you did NOT get 12V on the BLK/WHT wire, then check your clutch interlock switch.
It should have constant ground on one wire and then ground on the other wire when you press the clutch.

If the clutch switch is good then check out the starter relay


Still not working?
Check for 12V on the BLK/WHT at the ignition switch.


for reference, the schematic for the starter circuit

 

Where is the clutch interlock switch.

 

On the top of the clutch pedal under the dash

 

Okay, but if I am getting power at the starter from the cable coming off the harness, wouldn't that mean, that clutch switch and relay is good.

 

There are two cables as I mentioned earlier.
One is a thick cable and the other is a black/white wire.

Both need to have power -
Starter cable has power all the time.
blk/wht gets power when you turn the key to start.

 

Yes, I did put a test light to the so called "blk/wht" cable and then turned the key to on position and I did get current and when I turned the key all the way, the test light got bright. I do understand the other cable has current all the time, its the one that has a nut on it.

 

Sounds like you have proper power!

Now try grounding the starter.
Use a jumper cable (good thick cable perfect for this)- clamp one end to the NEG on battery and clamp the other to the starter housing or the transmission. Don't connect the other cable to anything.

 

Just ran and new ground cable from battery to the transmission. The existing ground is also still there. Still nothing.

 

Interesting.

All that's left is to verify power to the starter.
Make SURE your trans is in neutral!
Hook a wire from + battery and touch it to where the blk/wht wire goes.

IF the starter is good, it will spin

 

One thing I don't understand is why I am having this issue with ground when I never did before. I did change the egnition cylinder and key cuz I lost the keys. But I ruled out that part since I am getting power to the "blk/wht" cable when I turn the key.
Could it be the relay even though I am getting power to starter. But its not even clicking or making any kind of noise dead silence, I can hear the fuel pump.

 

Okay just did that, the starter didn't do much, just a clicking noise. Didn't seem to have moved or the shaft or anything. Do I do this with the key on the on position or doesn't matter. FYI this is brand new starter.

 

That brand new starter just failed to spin.

Take it out and bench test it yourself.
Its not super uncommon for brand new parts to be bad - they can't make them all perfect.

 

I do understand that even new starters can be bad, but I had it tested at the store before I brought it home, also my old starter passed three times at the store. I think there something else. Could it be the relay or clutch safety switch?

 

Is the engine seized? Are you able to push start the engine?

 

I'm suggesting you pull it and bench test it yourself because it's not working in the car.

Are your power cables in good condition? At the battery as well as at the lug on the starter.
Is your battery charged up?


Doing a bench test yourself will prove the starter out.
You take the starter out and hook it to a battery (jumper cables work great)
- clip to the starter housing for ground
- clip to the starter cable lug for power

Then touch a power wire to the terminal for the BLK/WHT wire and you can verify the starter pinion shooting out and spinning.

You could do this in the car, but it's tricky getting hooked to the power lug on the starter. If you short out the power lug while it's in the car then you risk damage to fuses, wiring, battery, etc.


If the starter indeed DOES work, then here's where you are;
- verified good ground
- verified BLK/WHT
* only thing left is main power cable.

 

Problem solved, rexosour is alive, it was the freaking ground. I returned the new starter and got a multimeter, did some test. Then I put a gournd straight to the starter case and boom it started working. got a new problem its idling at 2500+ RPMs.