Please help!!! No Starter Crank

[Boltrunner]

Would power to the s terminal but a no crank situation leave me with no headlights? Basically im asking if my starter went to **** would i have headlights still

 

[Boltrunner]

So i had a helper come over tonight. I ran a wire from the battery to the large terminal on my starter and grounded the battery to one of the starter bolts. My fuel pump kicked in and my blower fan went on. I tried jumping the starter to the s terminal to see if it would crank. It didnt.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

@HotRodPC is back in force. He'd be good to give you insight on this issue.

 

[HotRodPC]

Starter going bad should have nothing to do with your headlights at all.

 

[HotRodPC]

So i had a helper come over tonight. I ran a wire from the battery to the large terminal on my starter and grounded the battery to one of the starter bolts. My fuel pump kicked in and my blower fan went on. I tried jumping the starter to the s terminal to see if it would crank. It didnt.

I'm a bit confused. Why would you run a wire from the battery to the large terminal on the starter? The large terminal on the starter is where your positive heavy guage battery cable should already be hooked up. Normally the heavy guage ground or negative battery terminal cable connects to the alternator bracket or sometimes the front of the cylinder head. Doesn't really matter though. You can hook it just about anywhere so long is connected to the engine somewhere.

 

[Boltrunner]

Because my friend suggested a bad positive battery cable. When i did this i had the key in the run position. As soon as he made the connection at the battery my fuel pump primed and i could tell i left my heater on as well. Not having a 3rd person i couldnt see if the truck would actually crank over or not.

 

[Boltrunner]

Ive already pulled all my ground wires and cleaned the ends and mounting points. Also checked them all for continuity. They all checked out ok

 

[HotRodPC]

It's sounding like you have bad starter solenoid or even maybe a bad starter.

 

[Boltrunner]

Bad battery cables. Slapped 2 new ones on today and started right up

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Yay!

 

[Boltrunner]

Yea im pretty happy. Now to start on all the other little things like dash lights that are burned out and getting all my guages working properly.

 

[HotRodPC]

They must have been real bad. I've never not been able to get a vehicle to start with bad cables. I don know it's possible though. If the cables are corroded enough, they'll absorb all your amperage and none left by the time it gets to the starter. Glad it's all good.