1990 Chevy Silverado Wont Start?

[~LizzyAnn~]

I have 1990 Chevy Silverado, it needed a new battery (old battery wasnt staying charged it was old) I bought a new battery put it in and now it wont start. The lights come on but its not turning over... Please Help
I tried to jump start it, it wont start. The battery i put in i had in my other car so i know it is good. I am thinking the problem either lies in the ground wire i ran or maybe the starter.. The lights all come on etc. just wont turn over at all.

 

[Mark N]

If it was OK before and all you did was change the battery, the problem is likely there. The most common problem here is loose battery cables.Be sure they are clean and tight. Have a friend observe while you crank the engine. If he sees a spark at the positive battery terminal, it is loose. I had a 1991 Silverado for several years and this came up a time or two. It is a common problem on all cars when "doing it yourself"

 

[Warlock]

Will it jump start? If your battery was bad it may be because your alternator was not charging the battery properly. If this is the case a new battery will still run down. The lights are no real indication of whether you have a sufficient charge to start your truck. It takes MUCH more power to start your engine than it does to run your lights. My suggestion is this: Take your battery to an auto parts store that does battery and alternator testing. All major auto parts chains do this now days. Have your battery charged and tested (this is normally a free service). Assuming your battery is good your most likely suspects are your alternator or your starter. If the vehicle started before your battery went bad and if the truck will jump start or starts easily once your battery is charged then the alternator is suspect. Most parts stores that test batteries also check alternators on or off the vehicle. TEST the alternator before buying a new one.

By the way, keep in mind that a vehicle with a dead battery and a bad alternator will not start and run. You need a full charge in the battery to start the truck, but it's the alternator that keeps things going. If your battery has a full charge and your alternator is not working, you may be able to start the vehicle but once the charge in your battery runs down you are dead in the water.

 

[Frankie]

Are the connections tight and clean. Check both ends. Check ground from battery to engine and from engine to firewall. If all of that is good, you may have a starter problem. You can pull the starter and have it bench tested to be sure.

 

[James]

Do you hear a click when you try t start it or do the external lights dim noticably when the key is turned to start? This would indicate that current is going to the starter but its not working. I dont mean to bad mouth your work but if you ran your own ground wire you need to start there. Did you convert this truck from sidepost to top post battery cables? The next step would be to check your connections at the battery. Especially if they aare side post.

 

[enoctis]

bad solenoid, or starter.

if you turn the ignition and hear a click (or rapid clicking) then your solenoid is good.