'97 won't crank

PLACE ANY ISSUES RELATED TO YOUR VAN NOT STARTING OR STARTING HARD IN HERE.
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Rileysowner
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'97 won't crank

Post by Rileysowner »

So I vaguely remember having this happen once before a long time ago, before I had my stroke which knocked a lot of those memories out of my mind so I am not sure. Here is the situation:

My wife pulled into the gas station to fill up. When finished she tried to start the van with no effect, but a repeated clicking noise that continued even after the key was turned back to the off position. I went down in our car to have a look, and found there was little power, no dash lights turning on when the key was turned to start, and even the ceiling lights were very dim. Then she told me that the headlights were dim last night when she was driving home. I thought it might be a dead battery so we tried boosting it, but while that gave us dash lights and ceiling lights and the normal startup noises (fuel pump and the rest) once the ignition was engaged all that power disappeared. The best I got was a very sluggish turning over of the engine, certainly not enough to get it started, not to mention it was like all the power was drained by turning the ignition to start. So what is up?

My guess is a ground issue, but the snow has set in here and our driveway is sloped enough that I would not trust being under the van working. I will probably have someone else fix it unless it is something I can get to without having to jack up the van.
"I have a torque wrench and I am not afraid to use it."
Jim
1997 GMC Safari RWD, Power Windows and Locks, 7 passenger, a/c, rear heat

http://rileysowner.blogspot.com/
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okie1
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Re: '97 won't crank

Post by okie1 »

Sure does sound like a major ground problem, my guess is the battery ground, either end. Clean all the battery cables and grounds, see if that won't do the job. :supz:
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Smiliesafari
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Re: '97 won't crank

Post by Smiliesafari »

Dead battery? Check the output of the alternator.
1996 Safari SLX Hotair balloon transport vehicle
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Rileysowner
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Re: '97 won't crank

Post by Rileysowner »

Smiliesafari wrote:Dead battery? Check the output of the alternator.
I initially thought a dead battery, but it started at the house just fine. The gas station is only 4 blocks away, about .5 Km, and the power will come back if I fiddle with the wires coming off the battery. However, once the key is turned to start all the power disappears immediately. When attached to the car trying to boost it, I could get the starter to go but the dash lights were extremely dim and it was just a slow turning over of the engine.
"I have a torque wrench and I am not afraid to use it."
Jim
1997 GMC Safari RWD, Power Windows and Locks, 7 passenger, a/c, rear heat

http://rileysowner.blogspot.com/
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Smiliesafari
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Re: '97 won't crank

Post by Smiliesafari »

How old are the battery cables? How well connected? I've seen corrosion creep up into the insulation and destroy the cables from the inside.
1996 Safari SLX Hotair balloon transport vehicle
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HPbyStan
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Re: '97 won't crank

Post by HPbyStan »

I had what you describe happen to my '04 cargo right after I bought it. I think it had been sitting for awhile before I bought it and I don't know which wire/cable connection was bad as I unhooked everything I could find under the hood one at a time and wire brushed all the connections. It must have been at least one of them as the problem never came back.
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Rileysowner
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Re: '97 won't crank

Post by Rileysowner »

It was a loose and corroded terminal. Cleaned and tightened and now the van runs. Then I discovered the wipers will not run. Since that should not necessitate crawling under the van in the snow, I think I will look into it myself. Time for a new topic.
"I have a torque wrench and I am not afraid to use it."
Jim
1997 GMC Safari RWD, Power Windows and Locks, 7 passenger, a/c, rear heat

http://rileysowner.blogspot.com/
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