General Maintenance & Repairs - Can anybody tell me why my car doesn't want to start?

Before I randomly start changing out parts?

Over the past year, my car had developed starting gremlins, which I associated to a code that the car had started to throw, which indicated that my L-Gen wire was going out. Finally one night at a show my car just left me stranded... and I only got it home after mucho cranking on the motor and the car apparently decided to just randomly fire up on me.

So I take it home, let it sit for a few months, and now I get back to work on it. I replaced the suspected problem, the 4 prong PCM wire that leads from the top of the alternator, and I went ahead and replaced my Optima Red Top battery.

After this is done, I get in my car, and it turns over and fires right up for the first time in about three months. I let the car idle, warm up, and then shut it off, convinced that I have taken care of the problem.

Two days later, I try to fire it up and the car won't start. The engine cranks over, strongly but it just won't fire. It seems like something in the PCM is preventing it from turning over. So I quite trying to crank it, and I open the hood. I jiggle the PCM and the fuse boxes a little bit, and then get back in. The car instantly fires back up, so I shut it down and then try to restart it. The engine cranks, but doesn't start again.

I'm completely out of ideas on whats going on. I've replaced all the parts and I've checked all the connections and it looks like everything is where it should be. But what I'm experiencing is that when I get into the car and turn the key, the car just randomly decides when it should start on me.

Anybody care to throw some suggestions at me before I just start ripping shit out and replacing it?

Anybody have anything like this happen to them before?

Edit: This is a 2001 Camaro SS, M6

sounds like a bad connection , ground something electrical . if it worked good when you put in a new battery that makes me think ground .
how are the terminals taht hook to the battery ? do they have any corrosion ? this could be somethig .
also one last thing , a wire could be toucjing the starter . do you have long tubes or headers ? if the starter wire touches it can touch then it can not touch somtimes just depending on how much it moves .

You probably know, but problems with the anti theft resistor in the key will keep the car from starting for 10 minutes. So while you are out jiggling wires that time might go by, the car starts, then starts, and it might just seem like you have a wiring problem. If you have eliminated that, then I don't know. As long as it's cranking over just fine, it's not the starter or battery. Check for spark at the plugs. Spark at the plugs and fuel, something ought to go bang.

You probably know, but problems with the anti theft resistor in the key will keep the car from starting for 10 minutes. So while you are out jiggling wires that time might go by, the car starts, then starts, and it might just seem like you have a wiring problem. If you have eliminated that, then I don't know. As long as it's cranking over just fine, it's not the starter or battery. Check for spark at the plugs. Spark at the plugs and fuel, something ought to go bang.

You think it might be the chip in the key?

I should probably dig up the spare.

But it's very weird how sporadic it is.

Well, if it IS the chip, that's cheaper than doing a plug-and-play with parts trying to solve the problem. That's my only point. I would eliminate that as a possible cause before buying other parts.

Well, if it IS the chip, that's cheaper than doing a plug-and-play with parts trying to solve the problem. That's my only point. I would eliminate that as a possible cause before buying other parts.

Makes sense. I have been using the same key since I have been driving the car. What would cause the chip in the key to go out?

They get dirty, wet, loose. Clean the key or use the spare. And it's called Pass-Key II if you want to search for more details. Don't want to get you started on a wild goose chase. Just a thought.

if it is the security system you will have a light on the dash that says security after you try to crank it up and it does not crank . then as said it will stay like that for a little short of 5 minutes before it will allow another try to crank .
usually it is the wires in the cylinder that read the resistance off the key rather than the key itself . trying a different key if you have one would be the cheapest to try first but try to look on your dash clustwer for a yellow light that says security if it is indeed you vats .

Hey guys, sorry this took awhile but I was in Mexico for awhile.

I tried the spare key. it won't work. Same problem. I do not have a security light on either.

Well, I still have problems with the car.

I checked the fuses and the fuse box with all the connections, and so far everything looks good. I even ran a test light over the fuses. While some of the fuses looked tinges and dirty from use, the light still made the connection and it checked out.

I tried out the spark tester and I am not getting any spark from two of the coils. So I have no idea why my car all of a sudden decided not to want to work on me.