my 96 silverado

[Tracy Geer]

So last year I bought my truck, a 96 silverado, since I bought it I replaced the battery, radiator and last week front power brake lines and rear brake lines. brought it home last saturday. I was on call mon & tues so I drove the company van, I drove my truck for 3 days just to and from work. last night I stop at the irving and it died. I have power but the engine wont turn over.. nothing. I think it might be the alternator, or starter.. I have no clue.. any ideas??

[kstruckcountry]

My guess would be a bad starter solenoid.

Crawl under the passenger side of the truck, look around a little and find the starter. Should be right by the tranny. Once you find the starter, tap the solenoid on it gently with something hard. Hop in and try to start it. When the one in my 1990 was going bad, I had to do this to start it, until I got a new solenoid.

[Tracy Geer]

I did that last night, looks like I may need to replace stater. I am no mechanic, is it hard to take out with out putting it on a lift?

[Tracy Geer]

would I have to replace the whole stater? or just the solenoid? I thought they came as 1 piece.

[dbertram]

most starters now come as an assembly with solenoid. shouldn't be too bad. couple bolts and couple wires. most of the time you don't need a lift except for convenience.

[Tracy Geer]

ok I talked to my mechanic and I want to throw this out there and see if it flies with you guys, he said it could be the starter but where my engine doesnt turn over it is more possibley the neutral safety switch. any thoughts?? both are easy fix for me since im no mechanic

[kstruckcountry]

Try the switch first, it's cheaper than the starter

[Tracy Geer]

ok I was told to take a pair of pliars and touch the wires on the solenoid and if the starter kicks over its good, how ever all I got was a light sprk, does this mean the solenoid is dead? since i am not a mechanic i am not sure what I am looking for. I dont want to send it to a mechanic. these are things I need to learn for myself. any help will do

[Coolmaker]

Some of the solenoids have two small posts and a large post (wire going to the battery), if you did it to the ign wire, you only would get a small spark as you said. Try the other one. Then if it turns over it is the neutral switch......

[Tracy Geer]

thanks, I thought I did but there is a 90% chance I missed it

[chakis24]

so you turn the key and it clicks to try and start, but wont turn over? my 2005 did this and it was the crank position sensor.

[Tracy Geer]

no sir, when I got it back from the mechanic for other repairs, I drove it for 3 days with no issues, stopped at an irving and it wouldnt turn over at all, think its either the starter, or neutral safety switch, was told to use pliars and touch the starter wires to see if it turns over, all I got was a very light spark so I think I did it wrong. once it dries up I will try again today. knowing my luck its the starter because thats the more exspensive of the possible 2 problems. I am not going to let this truck beat me down, damn it I will drive her again!!!