It could just be a broken connection along the way. The ignition switch itself could be faulty/worn and not making complete connection. There could be a blown inline fuse somewhere that's not allowing connection. There's quite a list of 'maybes' and possibilities.
I'd suggest pulling out a multimeter and seeing if you're getting juice to your ignition switch to begin with. If so, then you can turn the ignition and multimeter the other lines heading for the solenoid to see if they're then getting juice. If they are, then go to your solenoid and see if the wire end leadingn to it is getting juice. If it is, then you either have a faulty new starter (doubtful, but stranger things have happened) or the wires aren't hooked up correctly on the starter, OR your wires don't have a good connection on the posts if the battery.
A little rust, a little corrosion, and even a simple crimp or bend in your wire can cause a circuit to short itself out everytime power is supplied.
What I would do?
- I would first bust out the wiring schematic (or at least figure out and understand the basics of how wiring for a starter works).
- I would then trace each line and thoroughly inspect each one and then reinstall/rerun each line to the appropriate place.
- I would then start the motor.
Now, IF that doesn't happen (the motor start), then there could possibly be an invisible short in one of the wires from years of wear and tear. I would by then do the following:
- take a long wire to use in place of each other wire, one at a time while trying to start, to then figure out which wire is faulty. Example: disconnect the main power line to the ignition and instead use your test wire in its place to make the connection. Then if it's som the same result, continue doing that with each other wire in the starter circuit SMS you'll then find your culprit (assuming you already eliminated a blown fuse, faulty ignition/key switch, and defunct starter/solenoid.)
You can also have someone tap on the solenoid kinda firm with a screwdriver handle while you're trying to start it, just to see if maybe it's sticking or etc. Same with the starter, and same with the starters individual connections to tell you if maybe something's just not quite connecting fully.
Doing all of the above will get it figured out.
