Thanks for the reply Leedsman. Now my friend wants me to see if I cans solve another couple issues with the van. One is an erratic idle, sometimes even staling out at a stoplight. I am thinking maybe the egr valve since I noticed the solenoid chattering constantly while idling and it is hot to the touch. Even if the engine is not warmed up yet. Sound like a good place to start?
Another problem is the speedo and tach do not function at all. Wish I had more info on that but they just sit there. Any ideas?

 

All PCI communications data bus wiring is white with a violet tracer. Grounding that wire killed the bus. Data bus wiring runs all over the van including to your sliding doors, the tailgate, PCM, BCM, TCM, HVAC panel, ACM, instrument cluster and uh, your radio. Damage that wire anywhere in the system and odd things can happen including no starts. You probably couldn't start because the PCM couldn't communicate on the dead bus. Like Leedsman said, "That's microprocessors for you..."

The dead tach and speedo could be data bus related. You may see a code if you can get a scanner that can read communications codes. You could try a self test - hold cluster ***** in then turn key to on. It may give you a code on the odometer display and if the gauges cycle, tell you the cluster is ok.