Power steering on dash no start

[Gtstorey]

Maybe it’s just me, but the photos are pretty much useless. I would have to review the wiring diagrams, to see what you actually did. And I only have the diagrams for the later models.

 

[Ross]

Depending on what wires he actually grounded to get it to crank, he may be band aiding a larger ground issue. I don't really remember the wires he grounded.

I agree... grounding the fan sounds suspicious. I would start taking the wires off both the ground posts, and use a wire brush and sandpaper to clean the posts and wire lugs.

 

[Robinjo]

UPDATE
I GOT IT STARTED!!!
The red plug that used to go to the radiator fan on the donor had two grounds poking out of the loom leading up to the red connector. It appears as if those lines had been sheered off somehow. I put a new terminal on the ground wires connected it to the grond on the transmission housing and boom she started. Ran briefly, but I assume since I don't have the maf tube and sensor installed, it won't run for long.

But she's alive!!

Glad it finally started for you. I know that No Start issues are very, very frustrating. I remember the first start being a little rough, it takes a couple to fully get fuel in the system. Also, the MAF not being hooked up definitely isn't helping it run smoothly.

I agree with the others, there may be more you need to look at. I would double check all the ground points to make sure the studs are completely clean of powder coating. I used a wire brush to clean mine off. These vehicle are very susceptible to grounding troubles. One missing wire or slightly corroded post and it all goes bad.

 

[Sluggonaut]

I agree... grounding the fan sounds suspicious. I would start taking the wires off both the ground posts, and use a wire brush and sandpaper to clean the posts and wire lugs.

^this

I deleted my post as I saw he got it running, but not before Gtstorey quoted my post. lol

I would check the resistance on the chassis grounds to make sure they are good.

The corrosion on the negative battery cable and the powder coating still visible around the forward chassis ground makes me think they should be checked. It's a quick and easy check so I'd do it first before digging into various connections.

 

[Robf]

^this

I deleted my post as I saw he got it running, but not before Gtstorey quoted my post. lol

I would check the resistance on the chassis grounds to make sure they are good.

The corrosion on the negative battery cable and the powder coating still visible around the forward chassis ground makes me think they should be checked. It's a quick and easy check so I'd do it first before digging into various connections.

Just to update everyone concerned on the grounding issues.

I cleaned the positive and ground on the battery.
The front ground post next to the battery, the main post with the bundle of grounds and the post under the fuse box are clean of powder coat. When I sent it to powder coat I covered all the posts with nuts so there's no powder coating on the studs.

The power train ground on the transmission housing has been cleaned.

As someone else said I'm unsure what the two ground wires coming off that loom are for since I don't have the diagrams.

 

[ah.b.normal]

In the 90's and 2000's I was exposed to "plastic" Saturns as 10 y/o used cars. Many we had to fix had intermittent or full electrical faults despite being visibly "grounded" at a "body junction". We cured many faults by running a "Dedicated Ground" of 10*(black) automotive stranded wire between the Neg battery terminal and all the remote "body junction" ground points. (The favorite was the rear ground point in the trunk that caused dim tail lights and no fuel pump run, which seemed to be endemic.) The dedicated wire between that remote ground point and the Neg battery terminal cured many of these. {A diagnostic tip is to also use a dedicated GROUND jumper wire straight from the Neg post of the battery. A test light will show ground but not show how much resistance is at that ground.} Computers and fuel pump motors are very fussy about voltage! Resistance at a ground point causes voltage drop on DC circuits. Every time I trip over this obvious fact I feel stoopid!, and I've tripped on it many times! As Homer Simpson is fond of sayin', "DOH!"

 

[Sluggonaut]

Just to update everyone concerned on the grounding issues.

I cleaned the positive and ground on the battery.
The front ground post next to the battery, the main post with the bundle of grounds and the post under the fuse box are clean of powder coat. When I sent it to powder coat I covered all the posts with nuts so there's no powder coating on the studs.

The power train ground on the transmission housing has been cleaned.

As someone else said I'm unsure what the two ground wires coming off that loom are for since I don't have the diagrams.

There are countless ground fixes on the forum with everything you stated above, but looking fine and testing fine are two different things.

To have a no start, no run condition fixed by a single severed ground wire by a fan plug suggests your grounds may not be as good as you need them to be.

It only takes a couple of minutes to run a multimeter lead to the negative battery post and each of the ground lugs to check resistance. It probably should be done by everyone before first start just to confirm the grounds are good. Even if it is not the problem, it confirms your ground points are good if you have to start chasing further into the system.

 

[ah.b.normal]

Corrosion in any ground wire under the insulation is a possibility(especially up north). The connector on the end, you clean it and it looks fine but the strands somewhere in that particular ground wire could be compromised. Look for worn off/torn insulation.