Car sat for some time. Bought from friend. After a jump drove car to my place. Started car every other day just to know that something was draining the battery. Plus lots of leaks/water damage.

3 months later of sitting not being driven car will not start. Battery charged. Jump start does not work. Starter does not crank. Pulled radio and can hear a relay click which I'm hoping is the starter relay. Checked relays mounted to engine firewall and pretty sure they all work. Some people have said ASD (Automatic Shutdown Relay) might be the problem but short of buying new relays they test good. Checked fuses and as far as I can tell they are all good.

Next step is ignition switch? Which I have not tested.

If anyone can help that would be awesome. Money and or cookies may be involved.

 

First off....ASD is in no way related to "Cranking" so dismiss that idea immediately.

With the help of an assistant, go directly to the signal wire at the starter. Check for battery voltage while your assistant operates the ignition key.

 

I know this is going to sound bad but is the starter accessible from the top of the engine or from underneath? Car is street parked so I would prefer not to jack it up. If I remove the battery tray can I get to it from the top? I tried looking underneath by the exhaust pipe by the front bumper but couldn't see anything resembling it. Just lots of oil residue everywhere. Is it behind drivers side wheel by the transmission?

Off to buy a manual hopefully.

 

So bought manual. I guess if I remove the "Heat Shield" I can get to the starter/solenoid from underneath?

 

Looking at the manual for my 2000 (s/b same), the starter is on front side of engine about below the yellow oil fill cap. It definitely looks like you'd need to have be able to crawl under car via jack stands (sorry) to get access to the starter. My manual shows an external starter solonoid mounted to forward side of the starter. So you are stuck, it seems, jacking at least the driver side of the car up enough to get under there to the starter. You may need have the whole front of car raised though.