I've posted before that my '91 does nothing when I turn the key to position III. I did a continuity test on the ignition switch and that passed. I turned the key without my foot on the clutch and heard the sounds of silence. I did it again with clutch depressed and heard the electric fuel pump whining. So those are good to go. I had previously checked continuity on the positive lead to the starter and that was ok.
That pretty much leaves only the fairly new Autozone starter. How may I test that without taking it out??

 

Put car in neutral and set the brake. Leave the key off. Disconnect the small wire from the starter and use a test wire to connect the terminal for the small wire on the starter to the battery (+) terminal. The engine should crank (it will not start, because the key is off).

If it doesn't turn the next test is to measure the voltage from the big terminal on the starter (that goes to the battery) to starter ground. It should be 12 volts, and should stay up when you jump with the small wire. If it drops to near zero there is a bad connection between the battery and the starter (which can be either on the hot or the ground side), or the battery is bad.

 

Thanks for the info, Mk378. Looking straight down on the starter I noticed a small wire with a female spade clip coming from wiring harness at the main fuse box and not connected at the female end which was pressed against the underside of the cold air intake. Where does this go? Or is it just part of the wiring harness which isn't used on the 1991 economy wagon model?

 

The wire and clip go to the starter. How it got to the surface of the engine compartment, I don't know. The battery was dead so I recharged it. Now to try the test again.