This is not my daily driver, so it's been sitting several weeks since it last started - and it started up just fine back then. Now it doesn't crank at all. The battery was getting old, so I just replaced it with a new Interstate battery from Costco. But it still wouldn't crank. I removed the starter and took it to Autozone for testing. It failed the test, so I bought the cheapest starter they had - Valuecraft (made in Mexico). I installed the Valuecraft starter, but still no crank. I put a socket on the crank pulley and confirmed that I could manually turn the engine over, and it turned fine. I got my power probe and applied power directly to the starter. When I apply power, I can see the pinion gear sliding into position, but it is not turning the flywheel. I removed the new starter and took it back to Autozone to have it tested in case it was defective. They tested it and said it passed.
What am I missing in all of this? What do I try next to get this car to crank?
bought the cheapest starter they had - Valuecraft (made in Mexico). I installed the Valuecraft starter, but still no crank.
No real surprise there. I'd try hot-wiring the solenoid to see if that's working. If it is, try directly hot-wiring the starter motor itself with a heavy cable (like a jumper cable). Then hot wire them both and if the starter is working it will crank the engine (be sure it's in Park!) If that Mexico-made value-engineered starter is actually working then you have some other electrical problem going on like a bad ignition switch.
