There are two ground cables from the battery negative post. There should be a small one only that goes to the body. The fat one must go to the engine for the starter return current. That current can't get back to the battery through the rubber engine and transmission mounts.
Once you have the cable back on the engine, when it doesn't crank, remove the red / blue wire that is plugged onto the starter solenoid. It's near the battery on the inner fender. Run a small jumper wire from the battery positive post to that terminal. Hook your jumper to the battery post first, then the other end to that terminal. There will be a small spark when you make the final connection, and you want that spark to be as far away from the battery as possible. Batteries give off explosive hydrogen gas.
If the solenoid engages and the starter cranks the engine, the ignition switch circuit must be diagnosed. If the solenoid doesn't engage, replace it. There are two coils of wire inside it, and the magnetic fields of both coils are needed to insure it will operate. When one coil burns open, very often it will still operate when a battery charger is connected because the higher voltage cause a bigger magnetic field to be produced by the one remaining coil.
caradiodoc
Jan 22, 2011 at 6:21 PM
