So, I go out to start my 2001 Blazer yesterday and.... nothing. Not even a click. It has power. Tried jumping it just to make sure that wasn't the issue. Tried arming/disarming the alarm, it's the stock one, nothing still. So I think, okay, must be the starter, I've already changed it twice since I've had it but maybe they just suck. So I got a new starter, not remanufactured but new, put that in laying in the snow and the 9 degrees. And....nothing. Okay, fuses next. Can't find any blown. Tried swapping around the relays also. Tested the old one straight from the battery and it seemed to be working fine. So I took the new one back out and put the old one back except I hooked a wire to it so I can jump it off the battery without having to crawl underneath. Touch it to the battery and wiiiirrrrrr sound. The starter turned but the solenoid was not engaging it. And that's when I became stuck and was too cold for today. Any ideas? I guess my next step would be to put the new one back in and try the jump with that. But that doesn't solve why it wouldn't start with the key in the first place.

 

Solenoid

 

With starter installed:
the ignition switch contacts pass current to the solenoid terminal on the starter. If there is no current to the solenoid, then the starter is not going to turn.

Need to check to see if there is voltage at the solenoid terminal when the key is turned to the START position. It is the small terminal, usually a purple wire.

If not voltage, then need to check ignition switch...not the key cylinder, but the switch that is on the exterior of the column.

Also, be sure battery connections are clean. Pull the red/black boots off and check for corrosion.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

9° and snow.....yuck.....full sun and 69° here yesterday.

 

That's the weird thing though, the starter turned but didn't push out with jumping it. It seemed to work fine outside the car. I wired the jumper cable to the small bolt on it. There are the two bigger ones and the one smaller one.
Also, that purple wire, does anyone know where that leads to? It kind of goes up into a mess and is hard to track. I'm thinking rewiring that.

 

Purple wire runs from the starter relay in the underhood fuse panel, directly to the starter solenoid. When you apply battery voltage to the purple wire in the relay socket, the solenoid must pull the starter drive into the flex plate, and the starter must crank the engine. I think Lanny hit the nail on the head. Check positive and negative battery cable connections at both ends of each cable. Take 'em apart, clean 'em up and tighten 'em up, and make sure the battery is fully charged. One of the positive cables at the battery runs to a 175 amp fuse by the right side of the radiator. Make sure the fuse and connections are good there too.

 

So here's the update for today. I took the old starter back out and double checked it. Still working. Tried to jump the two posts with a small wire to make sure the solenoid kicked in and bypass the regular system. It turned the engine a little but burnt the end off the wire so my jump wire was too thin to carry the main current. Took it back out and wired it up normally with my little jump wire. This time touching it to the battery worked and it turned over. I ran it for a bit to charge the battery. Decided I would just put a push button start in connected to the jump wire. Went down to take the new starter back. Came back out, tried the key start just for the hell of it. Nothing. Jumped it, it started. Stopped one more place. Came back out, tried the key again, started. Shut it off, tried the key again. Started. Drove home, shut it off, tried the key, and it started. So I don't know if it's a loose connection or moisture in the ignition that froze. It was really cold the last couple days but it seems to be working again. Going to leave that jump wire hooked up just in case. A nice wast of about 10 hours.

 

I'm stickin' to my guns... post #5

 

It could be the park/neutral switch in the steering column. If the vehicle isn't in park or neutral it won't let you start the vehicle. When it doesn't crank by the key alone depress the brake and move the shifter down and back to park, then try it again.

 

It's still on the list of possibilities, (01 Blazer it's on the transmission)

 

That was one of the first things I tried. People are telling me it sounds like a bad ground.