94 Bravada starting problem

LOUMAN

MEMBER
1994 OLDSMOBILE

I have a 94 Bravada with the vortec 4.3 engine. It has about 100,000 miles on it. Since The weekend, I can not get it to start. I have replaced the battery, and I do not even hear the solenoid for the starter "Click" when I go to start. I want to test the starter, but can't locate the solenoid to put my meter on it.
Where is the soleniod physically, and what do I need to remove in order to get a meter on it? I think I have located the starter on the drivers side of the engine toward the firewall, but I do not see any wires going to this area to follow and find the solenoid.
Also, if I have to pull the starter, how hard a job is this? Do I have to disassemble the car, or is it something I can do easily?
Is there anything I am missing, and should be looking at as well?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me with this.

5 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

Find the small terminal on the starter solenoid with a purple wire. Take a small jumper wire, jump this terminal and the battery positive terminal at the starter solenoid-did it crank over?

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Tuesday, October 9th, 2007 AT 12:15 PM

LOUMAN

MEMBER
3 POSTS

I am planning on going home this afternoon and trying just that. Can I access the terminal without taking things apart? If so, how? I looked last night and could not get to the solenoid from anyplace I could see.

Thank you for the wire color code, I did not have that piece of the puzzle.

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Tuesday, October 9th, 2007 AT 12:19 PM

RASMATAZ

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www. .com

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Tuesday, October 9th, 2007 AT 12:30 PM

LOUMAN

MEMBER
3 POSTS

I removed the starter from the vehicle because I could not get to the terminal in place. I checked the resistance across the solenoid with an ohmmeter and it read zero to ground (Direct short). I also checked the resistance of the starter motor from the positive terminal connnection (the one with the big black wire) to ground and read an open. Just to make sure, I read the purple wire voltage to ground with the switch in the "Start" position and read 12 volts. This makes me think that the starter/ solenoid is bad. Am I thinking correctly?

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Wednesday, October 10th, 2007 AT 8:03 AM

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
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, I read the purple wire voltage to ground with the switch in the "Start" position and read 12 volts. This makes me think that the starter/ solenoid is bad. Am I thinking correctly?

You're in the right path-It has power to it but won't kick over. You can open it up and do a little cleaning at the commutator and brushes might work again. Its your call.

Have a nice day :)