starter gets no power... please help

[zebra]

so i just did my 4.3 -> 5.3 swap in my 99 NBS. the engine's in, bolted up, all wires & hoses connected, fluids in, battery charged, etc. when i went to start it, everything lit up & dinged as normal when i put the key to the 'run' position. the fuel pump was working (i know because i noticed a leak from one of my fuel line connectors) but when i pushed the clutch in & went to start it, nothing happened...

the odometer went blank, as usual. radio lost power, as usual (not that i had the radio on... i just turned it on once to see if that happened).

we went in with a light probe & the direct battery line to the starter had power. when we jumped the power to the starter solenoid, it would click over. then we checked the probe to the little solenoid screw & tried to start it, but got no power going to it. we then tried the starter relay in another truck & it works fine. next, we went under the fuse block & found the lead to the starter (the bigger purple one) - it had no power when we turned the key.

does anybody have any clue as to what would be causing this?? i triple-checked every plug & terminal connection before & after i dropped the engine in and, as best as i can see, everything is connected as it should be.

the clutch safety switch is still plugged in, and i can hear it click when i push the pedal in. the last time i drove the truck (mid july - when i moved it from the parking lot to the back of the shop to pull the V6), everything worked perfectly except for the broken rod flopping around. the only thing i can think of now is that the harness didn't get wired for the clutch safety switch or the tune doesn't recognize it.

the engine came from a 2001 tahoe (obviously an automatic) and it was sent to current performance to get the appropriate wiring for the manual transmission. the guy who did the work accidentally started rigging it as a standalone, so they had to get another harness & start over. i don't know exactly what they got the replacement harness from, but i'll call in the morning find out. the computer was from scratch as well because i had the black 4-connecter computer and traded it for a tuned silver 411 PCM. i'll need to double check with him to make sure it was tuned accordingly as well

please let me know anything you know

thanks
~z

[FxsX24]

i think the computer is not set to your passlock maybe (its normally fuel system shutdown, but maybe its starter kill now)

or the ECM is not the same VIN as the BCM and PCM and thus does not allow the truck to function

[zebra]

i plan on trying the security relearn when i get back to the shop in the morning, but Jesse said he got the VIN programmed in

[zebra]

either way, i'm gonna call him to make sure the computer's looking for the clutch position sensor & then i'm gonna call current performance to make sure they actually wired it correctly for that sensor

[CamaroSpike23]

put in a push button starter and bypass the solenoid. with a battery cut-off switch hidden somewhere.

[zebra]

for the time being, i just want it to run... :(




before i go to the shop

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by zebra

for the time being, i just want it to run... :(




before i go to the shop

thats what I'm saying. just run a button starter straight from the battery to the starter to get you around until you can fully investigate it.

[zebra]

oh... knowing you, i thought you were talking about something cool & sarcastic that i should've done & wouldn't have this problem

i'm gonna try the security relearn on the computer first. if that don't work, i might do that for now...

[Fishman]

Purple wire from starter to feed fuse block should be hot all the time. Turning key should not affect this. Make sure the ground strap from the rear of the engine to the frame is hooked up. Engine will not ground well enough without it unless you have solid motor mounts instead of rubber ones.

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by zebra

oh... knowing you, i thought you were talking about something cool & sarcastic that i should've done & wouldn't have this problem

i'm gonna try the security relearn on the computer first. if that don't work, i might do that for now...

push button starters are cool. well, the computer programmed ones are where you dont have to hold it down the whole time to keep it cranking anyway.

[zebra]

Originally Posted by Fishman

Purple wire from starter to feed fuse block should be hot all the time. Turning key should not affect this. Make sure the ground strap from the rear of the engine to the frame is hooked up. Engine will not ground well enough without it unless you have solid motor mounts instead of rubber ones.

ground connection... check. i'll redo it, though, just to make sure. thanks for the advice. i'm leaving now, so be praying all works out.

[Xanthos]

Another thing you MIGHT do just in case its causing an issue is just remove the clutch safety switch. Mine went bad (but had no outward indicators other than not starting) and I just spliced the two wires from it together. Starts every time now, I just have to remember to either clutch it or put it in neutral. Been like that for over a year and I've yet to forget.
- X

[Fishman]

Never mind my last post. I followed the wrong wire. It's hell to get old and blind!! Purple wire is from starter relay to starter. Power leaves ignition switch, goes through 10 amp crank fuse ( lower left dash) then through clutch saftey switch,then to starter relay. Starter relay has its own ground wire from coil to left rear of engine.

[zebra]

got it sorted out today.

our trucks with manual transmissions have this extra jumper wire in the fuse block. installed it, pushed the clutch, turned the key, & the engine started turning.

details will come when i can get the pics off the camera - it might be a week or so, though