While I was running errands this evening, I stopped in a store for about 5-10 min, come back out, and I get nothing when I turn the key. Fuel pump ran, everything seemed to be happening as it should, but no cranking. Tried a jump: nothing. Finally, the alarm starts going off! I think "WTF?", and turn it off.

Then it hits me: the alarm hasn't been working right at all lately, and it controls the starter power from the ignition. So I pull the alarm out, get some electrical tape and hotwired the starter leads together. Try it once and it doesn't turn, but sounded very different. Try #2 yields a slight hesitation and BANG, we have liftoff. I drove it home, but it's too late to be messing with it tonight.

What's the concensus? Did I find the correct problem, or did the real broken part (engine relay, ect.) just happen to start working at that moment?

Not too sure but if the alarm has been acting up anyway it could be the starter kill feature of the alarm messing with you. Hopefully you find the problem already.

I'd lay odds it's the alarm. I had an alarm in one of my trucks, did the same thing. Disconnect the starter interupt and never had a problem again.

Well, the car had been starting just fine until I had my problems with the battery not charging. Re-doing the connections has fixed that little problem, but this evening the car wouldn't turn over again. Very P.O.ed, I tried a couple of the traditional tricks (tapping relays, smacking starter with hammer) but nothing worked. Then I found the starter cable was loose So I tightened that the best I could and I'm back in business...............for now.

Very odd. I just found that I was almost 1/2 gal short on coolant, but the resevoir remained over half full. Shouldn't the system siphon coolant from that tank if it's low? I don't think this would have caused the no start issue, though. Isn't the low coolant sensor in the reserve tank?

You would think that the system would siphon more from the reserve tank when it gets low. If you haven't replaced your radiator cap lately, do so. It may be the source of that problem.