So I just picked up a 1998 Blazer that needed a new engine. The old engine had spun a bearing. I could still start the Blazer with the old engine but went ahead and pulled it out within a few days. I just finished up installing the new engine last night. I went to fire it up after all the final checks and nothing.... The gauge cluster only had the Service Engine Soon light and Air Bag light lit up. No odometer and no gear selector. I went ahead and cleaned up for the night and figured I'd check it all out in the morning. Well this morning, as soon as I turned the key, it started cranking over. But the timing was out so reset the distributor and went to turn the key again and nothing. I did some probing and found the the solenoid wire wasn't getting any juice. So I went back to the relay and did some probing and found that everything was reading properly there and I got juice from the ignition with the key turned to the start position. However, as soon as I put the relay back in, I still got nothing. So I jumped the terminals at the relay housing with a paper clip and got it to turn over and it would run with a couple shots of starting fluid but wasn't getting any fuel. I can hear the fuel pump running but the fuel was apparently not making it to the cylinders. I also replaced the starter relay and still had the same issues. Also with the key in the 1st position before the run position, the cluster is lit up how it should be. Once I turn the key to the run position the only thing lit up on the cluster is the Air Bag and SES lights. With the starter relay out, the cluster lights up how it should again. And since the ignition switch seems to be a somewhat common problem, I went ahead and replaced it as and still all the same problems. Any thoughts on this? Thanks in advance for any and all help. -Bradley

 

My first thought is grounds, there should be a bunch on the back of the heads, and from the battery to the engine. Make sure they are all connected, and there is NO paint, they must be metal to metal.