Will not crank, older Bonneville

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rwilliams@out-pro.com - 22 Aug 2006 04:24 GMT

I have an '89 Bonneville 3.8L. Last week it would not start and had it
towed to a local mechanic who replaced the ignition module. Today I
had difficulties where it died several times and then had no electrical
power. I checked the connections, tightened them and all was fine.
Tonight I tried to start her and electrically everything works, but she
will not turn over. The headlights are bright but when I turn thekey
it makes a single click and nothing happens. The dash lights do not
get dim. I have little experience with American cars. (American car
companies seem to want to complicate everything and have no logical or
engineering background in their designs) But I have worked on foreign
cars and American trucks for quite a while. Any ideas on where to look
to diagnose this?

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Bon·ne·ville - 22 Aug 2006 05:54 GMT

> I have an '89 Bonneville 3.8L. Last week it would not start and had it
> towed to a local mechanic who replaced the ignition module. Today I
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> cars and American trucks for quite a while. Any ideas on where to look
> to diagnose this?

Trust me there is NOTHING difficult on a 89 Bonny. NO import even comes
CLOSE to its SIMPLICITY! Try swapping the battery with another car and
see what happens. Also check the connections under the boots and at the
starter. Also what were you doing when it died. I had a 92 that would
die when I hit bumps, turned out to be an internal short in the battery.

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Tom S - 22 Aug 2006 22:51 GMT

>I have an '89 Bonneville 3.8L. Last week it would not start and had it
>towed to a local mechanic who replaced the ignition module. Today I
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>cars and American trucks for quite a while. Any ideas on where to look
>to diagnose this?

At first glance, it sounds like the starter solenoid. They used to be
mounted on the starter, but now, it is probably mounted on the wheel
well or firewall on the same side of the car as the starter and
battery. When you find it, turn the ignition to on, then short across
the 2 big terminals - the cable from the battery is connected to one
and the big cable to the starter is connecter to the other. If your
problem is the solenoid, it should turn over and start just like you
were turning the key.

Tom

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Shep - 23 Aug 2006 00:25 GMT

It is on the starter.

>>I have an '89 Bonneville 3.8L. Last week it would not start and had it
>>towed to a local mechanic who replaced the ignition module. Today I
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> Tom

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no one that you know - 23 Aug 2006 05:14 GMT

Dead battery?

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Joe - 23 Aug 2006 06:42 GMT

>I have an '89 Bonneville 3.8L. Last week it would not start and had it
> towed to a local mechanic who replaced the ignition module. Today I
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> cars and American trucks for quite a while. Any ideas on where to look
> to diagnose this?

Since you have plenty of electricity, but none of it will turn the starter,
you really have a pretty easy problem. The starter contains an internal set
of contacts, and it's powered by the big battery cable through those
contacts. From the contacts, it runs through the brushes in the starter and
through the starter windings. When it clicks, but won't turn, you're not
getting electricity along that path. Simple, really.

You can replace the starter solenoid without the whole starter if you want
to. That'll get you new contacts. Might not be the problem, but if it is,
it's cheap to fix.

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