Chrysler Repair: 98 grand voyager: flakey starter motor, solenoid switch, check fuse

Question
QUESTION: I have a 98 grand voyager, battery is new but it won't turn over. When you turn the key all the gages work but it makes no sound at all.

ANSWER: Hi Edward,
Check fuse #10 in the box under the dash. Then listen/touch the starter relay in the box under the hood to see if it clicks while a helper tries the key. Let me know what you find. The relay is 5th counting from the front of the box. Also be sure that the cable clamps are tight, and that the -post clamp wires are tightly connected at their far ends.
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Roland...fuse is good, relay is ggod...battery is holding right at 12 volts. WHEN WE JUMPED IT BEFORE WE GOT NOTHING...THEN I WENT OUT AND IT FIRED RIGHT UP AFTER AWHILE, IT STARTED UP RIGHT AWAY FOR A COUPLE DAYS AND THEWN BACK TO THIS AGAIN. iVEALSOSMACKED THE STARTER A COUPLE OF TIMES IN CASE IT WAS FROZEN UP..STILL NOTHING. I DO NOTICE SOME OIL AROUND THE LEAD TO THE THE STAQRER....NOW WHAT....THANKS FOR YOUR HELP IN ADVANCE....ED

Answer
If the relay is clicking, then pull the relay and jump from the front pin to the rear pin of the relay socket and see if that causes the motor to fire. If so then the relay contacts are oxidized. If not, then check fuse 23 in the power box under the hood (or see if you have 12v on rear socket pin). If you have 12v on that pin and you jump from that pin to the front pin of the socket than you should be getting 12v on the brown wire at the starter motor that is attached to the solenoid (check that just in case) and that should cause the solenoid to close and connect the fat red wire from the battery to the armature of of the motor and fire it up. If not then try jumping from the fat red wire to the brown wire which is another way to fire the solenoid switch. You should be able to figure out whether it is the relay points, the brown wire, the solenoid switch/motor that is at fault that way. but also do verify the ground wires on the -post clamp as if those are loose/corroded you might not get a good enough return current pathway.  Be careful when jumping from the fat red wire as if you ground it by accident it will heat up and burn you real quick.
Roland