What else could be causing this problem? next step?

2001 SATURN L200
140,000 MILES
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INFERNO
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Car would not crank, took the key out of the ignition and it tried to crank itself so I put the key back in the ignition and it cranked that time but made a squealing, grinding noise when in park. I drove down the road put it in park it did it again but when put in park a third time it was fine. I drove home and a few hours later it would not even turn over. I replaced the battery and the starter and solenoid but it still won't crank. All lights, radio, etc are working fine but it won't even turn over.
Nov 4, 2011 at 9:14 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Do you have a multimeter or test light to do some testing?Also you made sure the battery cables are clean and tight?
Nov 4, 2011 at 3:44 PM
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INFERNO
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Battery cables are clean and tight. I will have to buy/borrow a tester. What are the first few things to start testing? Could it be the ignition?
Nov 4, 2011 at 6:04 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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The first thing i would have you check is the yellow wire that comes off the ignition switch it should have power with the key in the start position.Also have you checked all the fuses?
Nov 4, 2011 at 6:18 PM
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INFERNO
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The fuses are all good. There are 2 yellow wires coming off the ignition, I'm getting absolutely nothing off of one of them and only 3 volts off of the other one.
Nov 6, 2011 at 3:40 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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You want the yellow wire at terminal C of the ingition switch connector that should have battery voltage when the key is in the start position.The big red wire to the ignition switch should have battery voltage all the time.Let me know what you find.
Nov 6, 2011 at 3:50 PM
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INFERNO
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The red wire does have voltage all the time. But the yellow wire has nothing with the key in the start position.
Nov 6, 2011 at 10:59 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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If the red wire has battery voltage and the yellow wire has none with the key in the start position bad ignition switch.I have seen a few bad ones do what yours is doing.
Nov 6, 2011 at 11:05 PM
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