The starter went out on me at a gas station. I boaght a new, and after pulling a section of the exhaust got it on. It started cranking, then wouldn't start... I played with it, put another batter in it and cables then miraculously got it started. The exhaust was still not on so I drove it to a near by friends house. I put it all back together, checked all connections 02 sensor, battery, fire, if cylinders were getting fire etc... all good. I'm lost!! I need my truck. Please help. Thanks 98 4cyl Sonoma 2wd

. Check for codes and pending codes with an advanced scan tool.

. Test all under hood and under dash fuses with a test light or multimeter--be very thorough. If you test for "power through the fuses," it will give you a "heads up" on whether there's a problem with the ignition switch.

. Fully charge the battery, which most auto parts stores will do for free.

. Ensure there's more than just a token amount of gas in the tank.

. Clean the main ECM ground.

. Check/replace the Ignition Control Module (ICM). It may be sparking but not at the right time.

. Check/replace the Crankshaft Position Sensor.

. Check the MAF Sensor.

. Check for fuel. Can you hear the fuel pump run, when the ignition switch is turned to ON? Keep in mind that 90%+ of crank but won't start situations are ignition system related, not fuel.