Can't start 1994 Cutlass Supreme

[kr9999]

Had trouble starting my car today. It's been working great until this afternoon. When I turn the key I get nothing (lights and power windows, etc. work. When I turn the key to start the Clock/Radio display goes blank until I release the key from the start position. I tried jumping between the ignition terminal on the solenoid and the positive terminal on the solenoid and the starter works. I tried putting the car in all the different gears and trying to start it to see if its the neutral safety switch, that didn't make any difference. Are there any more checks to see if it's the neutral safety switch, or any idea's what would be more likely (i.e. ignition switch, neutral safety, or just the wiring??). Thanks for any help.

[tonylemt]

so the engine wont even crank? I had the same problem when i replaced my alt. and starter in my 92 cutlass. It turned out i was getting no power to the starter from the battery. The positive terminal was just a little loose, i tightened it and fixed the problem, you could have a short in the positive cable, are the terminals corroded? if that doesnt work, give more explanation on what it does.

[kr9999]

The car won't crank unless I short the ignition pole with the positive pole on the Solenoid. It cranks but I can't get the car to start. It almost seems like it's not getting any fuel in the engine or something. The car will backfire a few times and make a chugging sound and stuff but won't start. I'll try snugging down the positive cable and see if that helps. Again when I turn the key to start nothing happens still. Any more ideas on what you think is going on would be great! Thanks for your time.

Originally Posted by tonylemt

so the engine wont even crank? I had the same problem when i replaced my alt. and starter in my 92 cutlass. It turned out i was getting no power to the starter from the battery. The positive terminal was just a little loose, i tightened it and fixed the problem, you could have a short in the positive cable, are the terminals corroded? if that doesnt work, give more explanation on what it does.

[tonylemt]

"The car won't crank unless I short the ignition pole with the positive pole on the Solenoid", what does this mean exactly, if the car cranks but doesn't start you have other problems as well, im at the same problem right now, i know that there are plenty of other threads in this section that have no start problems, you should take time to look at them all, it helped me, if i find out i will let you know, let me try to clear this up, in the start position nothing haoppens with the electricity in the car or anything, let me know what you mean by the first sentance i wrote, i will try to rule them out.

[kr9999]

Tony,

The problem ended up being the Anti-Theft system. I guess one of the wires in the Ignition tumbler was broken causing a problem with the anti-theft. I'm able to hotwire the car for now using 2 keys. I'll have to find a resistor to put into the system to permanently bypass the Anti-Theft system. Thanks for your help.

Originally Posted by tonylemt

"The car won't crank unless I short the ignition pole with the positive pole on the Solenoid", what does this mean exactly, if the car cranks but doesn't start you have other problems as well, im at the same problem right now, i know that there are plenty of other threads in this section that have no start problems, you should take time to look at them all, it helped me, if i find out i will let you know, let me try to clear this up, in the start position nothing haoppens with the electricity in the car or anything, let me know what you mean by the first sentance i wrote, i will try to rule them out.