my 98 Chevy Cavalier wont start . I was out the other day and it died . I am not sure whats wrong .?

Ok, I know Cavaliers inside and out not to mention I just got passed this problem. If its your battery you will be able to jump start the car. If its the starter and you have a manual transmission you can test it by bump starting. If it starts but has a whine, than its the starter. If you have an auto you can try putting a volt meter to the connections and making sure there is power flowing through. BUT BEFORE you even buy a new battery or starter spending $60 or more, if you don't know the problem after these tests, pull your spark plugs. Spend $5-$15 on a new set of 4 spark plugs and replace them. My car clicked when I went to start it, thought it to be the battery, got a new one. Didn't work, bought a starter and while it was being shipped I checked the fuses in the engine and in the side panel. They were all fine. Pulled the spark plugs thinking the engine isn't getting a spark to turn over. I had a shattered spark plug. So check the plugs, its most likely that if its clicking when you go to start it.

I'm sure the starter didn't cause your car to die, so let's move past that one. That leaves just a few possibilities - the battery failed (bad connection inside it), the battery external connections are bad, or the engine won't turn.

Start by checking the oil. It's a long shot so don't get worried, but it is easy to check and needs to be eliminated from the list. As long as you see oil on the dipstick the engine probably did not seize from oil starvation.

Next check the battery connections. Turn on the headlights and twist a penny in the gap between the battery posts and the clamps (I assume these are top posts, not side posts). If you see little sparks and hear them crackle the connection is bad. Cleaning them up should get you going.

The last possibility is a bad battery. About half the batteries I have had to replace in the last 30 years have had bad connections inside them. Often they can be temporarily brought back to life by turning on the headlights or having somebody hold the key in the Start position while you whack the battery posts a few times with a hammer. No kidding - hit them like you are cracking nuts, not very hard and not very deep. It isn't a repair but (combined with checking the battery connections) it is a solid diagnosis. If hitting the battery makes it work, replacing it fixes the problem.

It is also possible the ignition switch is bad, but it is unusual for it to affect the running and the cranking at the same time.

Good luck!

examine to work out in case you're transforming into voltage to the small cord to the starter once you turn the important to start up. try lite or meter hooked to the crimson cord. Or use an previous screw motive force and short around the small bolt to the battery cord on the starter... there grow to be remember on the swap.

The compute module may have died. Or the battery terimals are corroded. Or the starter solenoid is stuck.

battery or starter... see if u can jump start it. if u can then its ur battery thats needs replaced. if not i say its ur starter.

get a new battery.