Engine doesn't turn over, but there's power there?

I have a 93 Delta 88 that has not been starting lately. You can turn the key and nothing, try it four or five times it may start it may not. Yesterday when I was leaving for work wouldn't turn over, after work started right up. I think it is a loose connection or somthing that is causing it. I kind of wonder if it isn't in the ignition switch.

Any help appreciated.

Bob

Does it crank but won't start? If so I'd say take a look and the crank sensor. The next time it does it try touching the connector, look down under the water pump and try it again. If the security light is on with no crank then the harness on the iginition lock cylinder has grounded. You can try changing the position of the tilt wheel. As you can tell if been thru both of these problems...

The engine doesn't crank at all. I have lights, etc. I don't hear any clicking or anything.

Bob

Check the battery cables. The positove side uses a stacked cable arrangement, the long bolt and spacer between the two are prone to corrision.

I had the same problem with my 1998 88. I changed out the battery cable that connected from the battery to the starter. Make sure everything is tight. I also retrofitted the connections on my battery posts so that one of the positive cables was on the side mount connector and the other positve cable was on the top of the battery's top. Seemed to be separating these and the new cable did the trick.

On ANY GM OLDS of these years, REPLACE THE BATTERY CABLES! The 2 positive cables are a 'dual stacked arrangement' and MOLDED around a LEAD INSERT in both! One positive cable leads directly to the STARTER and the other leads to the cars electronics, ECM - etc. These positive cables a VERY PRONE TO CORROSION INSIDE THE MOLDED CABLE! When you 'think' you've cleaned off the corrosion on both positive cables - YOU HAVEN'T! There is NO WAY TO CLEAN CORROSION INSIDE THE MOLDED CABLE - especially the one leading to the starter! All surfaces of both cables may LOOK cleaned but their NOT as the corrosion INSIDE the MOLDED CABLE PARTS - is still there! THIS LEADS TO A LOT OF PHONEY STARTER REPLACEMENTS THAT WEREN'T NECESSARY! ESPECIALLY SYMPTOMATIC IS YOU WILL HAVE ALL DASH LIGHTS BUT THE STARTER WILL NOT TURN OVER! If you CUT OPEN the MOLDED END OF THE CABLES, you will see that GM MOLDED THESE CABLES AROUND A SMALL LEAD RING INSERT! There will be corrosion BETWEEN the INSIDE SURFACE OF THE LEAD INSERT and the thin metal electrical connector - YOU CAN'T CLEAN OR GET TO UNLESS YOU CUT THE MOLDED END OPEN. Especially prone to this IS THE POSITIVE CABLE THAT LEADS TO THE STARTER!

CUT OFF BOTH MOLDED CABLE ENDS OF THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLES! CLEAN ALL corrision on the all the wires and REPLACE THEM WITH A SINGLE AFTER MARKET BATTERY POST CONNECTOR AND ANTI-CORROSION, RED, felt ring! THIS IS JUST CHEAP AND BAD ENGINEERING ON GM'S PART!

I KNOW of at least 6 cars that ended up having to be towed and very costly 'needed' starter repairs being done, ONLY to have the same WON'T START, have all dash lights, condition reappear. In ONE case, the owner was CHARGED FOR A NEW STARTER AND ALL THE DEALER DID WAS REPLACE THE POSITIVE STARTER CABLE!

The best thing to do first, if it fails to start but you have all dash lights or starting was intermittent, is check these lousey molded battery cables, cut them open with a pair of wire cutters along the molded part to expose the inside lead ring - most of the time, you will find that the inside is full of corrosion - you never knew was there or thought was cleaned!

Hope this helps a few people out there. Good Luck!

Check to see if the "PASS KEY II" on your key is being read properly. You need someone who knows what they are doing. IT has something to do with the resistance being measured on the key and what the Ignition is programmed to read. If you go to GM they will tell you that you need a list of parts... but what you might only need is a 5 cent transistor that can be spliced into the ignition wires. Same thing was happening to my 92 88. When the temp got too hot or cold the resistance changed. The original settings give a little up and down.

I'll take ANY bets!!!! It's the 'PASS KEY II' thingy.