When I turn the key there is nothing, no crank, no start, no fuel pump?

Tiny
MANGOMIKE17
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE
  • 6 CYL
  • TURBO
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 150,000 MILES
I've been in the process of replacing my motor and transmission on my car listed above Ultra and now that everything is back together when I turn the key there's nothing, no crank, no start, no fuel pump. So, I hooked a scan tool to the vehicle and there is also no communication with my computer. I have looked everywhere for a pinout diagram that lists everything for my PCM and what power wires go where but I have been unsuccessful at finding something.
Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 5:12 PM

78 Replies

Tiny
AL514
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Hello, we have a pinout for the PCM for you, have you gone through with a test light and verified all the fuses have power? And does the Check engine light come on at key on?
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 7:24 PM
Tiny
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I have checked all the fuses multiple times no fuses are blown all the relays seem to be in working order when I turn the key to the on position all my lights pop up on the dash like normal and then all of them go away except the airbag light and the ABS light also my p r n d 321 light on the dash doesn't go away when I take the key out of the vehicle it doesn't shut off at all.
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 7:28 PM
Tiny
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Did you upload the diagram yet and I just can't see it, or have you not uploaded it yet?
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 7:29 PM
Tiny
AL514
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The 1st diagram is the oem PCM powers and grounds. Diagrams 2 and 3 are top and bottom page one of the entire PCM wiring diagrams, 4, 5 page two, 5, 6 page three, and 7, 8 page four top and bottom.
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+1
Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 7:43 PM
Tiny
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Thank you, that should be very helpful. Any ideas on why I'm not getting any communication with my computer? Like is there any suggestions on what I should be checking first it does not start in neutral so it's not the neutral position switch I have power going to the starter I can jump the starter but still no crank or start.
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 7:48 PM
Tiny
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Oh, also my windows no longer work. I can't roll them up or down and my fuel pump and stuff still don't kick on when I turn the key to the on position and when I reconnect my battery the fuel injectors kick on as soon as the battery makes contact without the key in the ignition, I'm very confused by what is happening.
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 7:57 PM
Tiny
AL514
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You have power to both wires at the starter with the key in start? And still no crank? If so, put a test light on battery negative and touch the engine block, if the test light lights up you have no ground to the engine block. Here's the starter wiring diagram.
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 7:59 PM
Tiny
AL514
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I would go through and verify all grounds again, you didn't swap out PCMs or anything correct? Just an engine swap?
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 8:01 PM
Tiny
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So, yes, I have power to the trigger wire in the start position and you're correct I did not switch the PCM just the motor and transmission but I did find my number two fuse was blown I swapped it for a new fuse and my check engine light is now on but still no start no crank and yes my grounds are in the proper location I have a diagram for that.
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 8:18 PM
Tiny
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Also, my security light is now on it is just on fully it's not blinking when the key is in the on position and then when I turn the key to the off position the security light goes away then when I turned the key back to the on position the light comes back on.
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 8:26 PM
Tiny
AL514
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Yes, but even if the grounds are in the proper locations, which doesn't mean they can carry current, if a ground wire is bolted to a location that has paint on it, or the ground eyelet is not good, you will get strange symptoms like this. If there is power to both wires on the starter and the starter solenoid is not clicking to engage the starter motor, it sounds like you are missing an engine ground. A test light hooked to battery negative, then touching the engine block will tell you if the block lacks a ground. Because power is already at the starter, providing a ground with a test light to the engine block will light it up.

Or you can try just hooking some jumper cables from battery negative to the block and to the body, providing a temporary ground, if it comes to life, you know what the issue is.
Does this new engine even turn over by hand?
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 8:28 PM
Tiny
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And yes, I currently have a test light on the negative of my battery and touched the block of the motor and it does not turn on.
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 8:40 PM
Tiny
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And I tried to hook up my jumper cables the ground being to the battery and the other end to the block and it does not change the light does not turn on and yes, the motor turned by hand I just tried it again and it turns over as it should.
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 8:41 PM
Tiny
AL514
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Well, with power on both starter wires, if it's a full 12volts, and the starter is not engaging, either your starter is bad, or there is no ground. A bad starter will usually click the starter solenoid, but not engage to the flywheel, you wouldn't have power on the ignition switch wire at the starter if it was the Immobilizer security issue, the PCM would not energize the THFT 1 or 2 relays. I will have to continue with this tomorrow, its already midnight here.
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 8:56 PM
Tiny
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Well, that's the thing as a brand-new starter and I can jump the solenoid, and it engages and it's definitely not clicking it doesn't make any noise at all.
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Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 AT 10:37 PM
Tiny
AL514
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What voltage reading do you get on the solenoid wire (trigger wire) when attempting to crank it over?
I would also do a voltage drop test on that wire from battery positive to the trigger wire and see if there is some huge voltage drop occurring while trying to crank. Jumping to the solenoid from the heavy gauge starter wire obviously doesn't have any voltage drop on it and it's provides enough current flow, so there might be an issue where the trigger wire can't carry current.
If you read high voltage during cranking, that's the amount being lost on that wire due to a connection issue somewhere. Do that test first, you might need to have someone else crank it for you so you can monitor the multimeter.
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Thursday, October 3rd, 2024 AT 4:38 PM
Tiny
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Okay, I will try that in a little bit, and I will for sure let you know. Thank you
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Thursday, October 3rd, 2024 AT 4:41 PM
Tiny
AL514
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Okay, there's got to be something going on with that wire from the ignition switch, you could be reading 12volts on that wire, but it just can't carry any current flow. A voltage drop test should reveal that. I assume you were measuring the voltage on that wire with it unplugged from the starter? And it read 12v with the ignition switch cranking?
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Thursday, October 3rd, 2024 AT 4:48 PM
Tiny
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No, I was just using a test light to make sure I had power.
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Thursday, October 3rd, 2024 AT 5:09 PM
Tiny
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So, with the key in the on position not the start position it has 13.1 volts shouldn't that wire only get power when I turn the key to start.
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Thursday, October 3rd, 2024 AT 5:55 PM

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