riviera with a new heart, no crank, no start?

[TJ]

So, i’m back with my 1988 3.8 riviera again..after a few months passed of driving i found i had a blown head gasket, not knowing until it was already too late, loud harsh knocking in the engine, since i’ve put so much time and money into the car i did not want to rid of it, so i went for a salvaged engine route..note this is my first engine replacement, although with tons and tons of advice and tips from experienced co-workers so that helped a bit, so i got everything out swapped over my accessories, being in columbus ohio..it was -20 something outside when trying to do this with a very cold garage i let it sit for about 3 weeks before i touched it again..come back and my transmission bellhousing had a nice large crack/split down the center, it doesn’t go all the way down but its about 5 inches long, not being in a position to replace it, i asked for advice, and everyone said to put it in anyway, as long as everything is mounted correctly and connected it shouldn’t give me too much issue..so i did, the passed few days i’ve worked vigorously to get everything back in, hooked everything back up, after so excited to FINALLY be done after all this time of borrowing cars to get to work. I filled all fluids up, put my battery that had been charging back in the car, and i go to start, but i get a no crank no start isssue…

so on with what i’ve done to test whats going on (sorry for the huge story just want to give everyone as much information as possible im at my witts with this car)

also note there is no click for the starter and when i turn the key, every light inside turns off until i release the key.. but i did go to the battery and do a test with a battery tester also no light dimming when just lights on. connections on battery are tight and brand new no corrosion as well as the battery is a brand new interstate battery, so what i’ve done so far is first i checked everything over at the battery side..everything looked ok, so since my car is so easy to access the starter, i just took it off and got it over to a bench and tested it with just alligator clips and a donated battery, the starter kicks out and spins just fine so i put that back, also looking at my alldata application making sure my starter was wired correctly, everything seems fine there.. also the engine does turn over manually with a socket just to get that out of the way of diagnosis..but i also tried hooking a alligator clip to the starter power terminal and directly touching the battery, nothing happens(with the key in the on position) which i believe i saw in a scotty kilmer video. nothing so far..

SO the conclusion so far i’v come to is that i have a ground either NOT hooked up somewhere or not hooked up correctly. there was a ground wire that wasn’t connected on the same wire strip as the starter power wire so as a quick fix i figured, i just bolted that to the sub frame of the car..now another 2 wires in the back of the engine up top, running along the same wire strip as the alternator wire, i saw those to be ground as well i believe….i hope atleast..so what i did is put them between the bolts that hold the power steering pump to the engine..hoping that would work..no go yet. so im sure i need to break out a multi meter tomorrow and test everything properly going to the starter, because i know my battery and battery connections as well as the starter are all good. my SECOND theory from what i was looking up is possibly a neutral safety switch issue? maybe the transmission doesnt see that its in park? i hooked up the shift selector to the transmission where it goes..but my step dad told me maybe to take it off, move the gear shift around and back all the way up and re-add it? said maybe it needs adjusting..but i don’t know..

as i said i’m sorry this is so long,i’ve just worked so hard on this car(for me atleast) and kind of a disappointing end to a lot of solo effort. and although i haven’t done any multi meter testing or anything( which i will try in the morning) just wanted to see what people here at the etcg forum thought, or any of your suggestions, anything at all that may spark something in my mind to get this old thing running on the road and on its way to work again.

thanks in advance,
Terry

Topic

[Its me]

You never want any corrosion on/in an electrical system. .. clean it up and check it with an ohm meter… It may be fine after a cleaning..but a new one will give you peace of mind..

[TJ]

went out and poked around a little more, i followed every single cable making sure everything was connected or grounded. this main wire is the one i grounded to the sub-frame..but when i put a lead to the negative battery terminal and a lead to it, there is no reading..BUT if i put a lead from neg batt terminal and to the alternator ground i get 19v displayed on my multi meter, which is the same as the battery is “giving out” if my multi meter isn’t just old, but it’s still the same voltage.. here is that wire.

i re-located it, hoping to get a ground somewhere.

here is my battery voltage reading

ALSO i found this not sure what it is, but it looks to be melted plastic around it

and here’s the backside.

problem i see although it may be melted, it’s connector doesn’t seem to plug into anything, and i know i didn’t remove it when doing the engine because its up right under the cal..

here is where it connects to

edit:now that i look at that, looks like it’s just a wire going to a relay?

[Its me]

OK… Look at what the video where Eric Talks about voltage drop.

Also, look at your multimeter… See the low battery light… Put in a new battery.

The melting is an issue…. No telling what else has happened… You have some work ahead of you…

-Karl

[TJ]

didn’t think a low battery could cause that but wow you’re right, replaced it in my multi meter and now my battery is reading perfect 12 volts, had a buddy over last night, he put a screw driver from the ign wire to the pos wire on the starter and that actually cranked the engine..he said i could just wire abutton to do that instead of fixing this problem, but i don’t feel that’s a good plan, obviously there’s something wrong i don’t want to just bypass something i want to fix the issue

[Its me]

That melted connector looks like it is for a relay… Check all the wiring and check that relay to see if it still works… Also, check your starter relay…

[TJ]

WOO i finally got paid went and picked up my neutral safety switch, threw that on, made sure all my wires were connected, also i pinched a fuel line in the process so i went an got a new line and some compression fittings and got that all hooked up, and too my SWEET RELiEF the engine cranked over, i cranked it over for about 5 minutes to circulate oil(good old etcg trick i learned from watching), put my fuel pump fuse back in, and she fired right up..granted she is soooo loud because the exhaust isn’t hooked up yet, and she’s smoking quite a bit, im assuming because the engine sat for a while but she starts and she purrs…i wanted to come here and tell all of you, specially you Karl and Eric for all the help..i know you didn’t have to help me but i appreciate it very very much, i almost..fingers crossed get back to driving to work again.

Posting a video of it running in just a moment, waiting for it to upload. but as usual i will continue coming back here and always watching etcg you’ve taught me alot eric. thank you both.

here’s the video, sorry for the stupid landscape mode on my phone 😛
[video width=550 height=309 type=youtube]s72xIm4EMVQ[/video]

towards the end i noticed i have a small coolant leak in my coolant bypass, thats because i couldn’t find a gasket for it anywhere around here, so i used gasket maker, i now ordered a gasket online once that get’s here ill be putting that on properly..

i also hear a very small grinding sound, going to inspect that and make sure that’s not the fly wheel isn’t making contact anywhere

[TJ]

time to part ways with the riviera, everything running but i believe the transmission is stuck in neutral and i’m moving out of state to Pittsburgh in 2-3 weeks so i really wont have any time to work on this the way i’d like to, thanks everyone again, posting it in the for sale section hopefully someone local may want it

[Author]

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