Pontiac Repair: car wont start occasionally, pontiac sunfire, starter solenoid

Question
Hello,

My 96 Pontiac Sunfire, 2.2L, 3 sp auto, 165k miles won't start when I turn the key occasionally.  However, it only happens about once a week, this has been going on for a year since I replaced my starter last year.  I accidentally crossed the starter ground wires on my new GM starter when I installed it last year.  When I went to start the car, the new starter would not stop cranking the engine even when I took the key out of the ignition.  I could only stop the starter from cranking the engine by unhooking the negative terminal on the battery.  This happpened at least 5 different occasions before I figured out that the starter wires went in the wrong order.  The reason why I crossed the starter ground wires, I didn't remember where the extra wires from the ignition recall I had five years ago were supposed to go to.  

My no start that happens about once a week, when I turn the ignition to the start position, I get nothing, the engine didn't turn over at all.  Sometimes it can take up to 10 times turning the ignition before it will start.  Then I won't have the problem for another week.

I changed the fuel filter a month ago, the serpentine belt two weeks ago (cog was torn), battery is a year old and fully charged.
But the no start problem has been going on for a year now.  My friend thinks when I crossed the starter wires, he said I partially fried the wires or messed up the ignition switch.  When I do turn the ignition to the on position, all the lights come up normally, and turn off when I turn the ignition to the start position.  If you need anymore information, please let me know.  This intermittent no start problem is killing me.

Answer
Hi there:

Well first things first. when it does not crank yout going to have to see if you have "crank" voltage at the starter solenoid on the starter. The purple wire should have battery volatge  when you crank the car If it does the starter assembly is bad. If there is no voltage or not full battery voltage that is why it will not crank. From there you will have to trace the wire back into the recall starter realy assembly from there to the switch on the top of the transmission which is the neutral safety switch from there the wire color changes to yellow from purple and from that switch back into the car to the ignition switch.. that is how I would go about trying to find the problem instead of just guessing what the problem is. Use a 12 Volt test light to cehck for volatge at eack of the points mentioned. Good luck :)