3rdGen Starting Issues
3rdGen Starting Issues Having occasional no start problems. It's random and it's driving me nuts 
Tough to trouble shoot because it is so random and I can't recreate it. Did determine that if you turn the key off and wait 3 minutes and then try to start it works fine. That leads me to believe its a VATS/Passkey issue. I've got VATS turned off using HPTuners, still have the VATS by-pass module in place too. That's what I used prior to buying HPT. I guess the Passkey module can still disable the starter relay?
Question, anyone else experience this problem? Is there anyway to bypass the Passkey Module and still get the starter relay to function correctly?
Any suggestions appreciated. It's not a huge deal because it always starts after the 3 minute wait, just annoying to deal with.
Tough to trouble shoot because it is so random and I can't recreate it. Did determine that if you turn the key off and wait 3 minutes and then try to start it works fine. That leads me to believe its a VATS/Passkey issue. I've got VATS turned off using HPTuners, still have the VATS by-pass module in place too. That's what I used prior to buying HPT. I guess the Passkey module can still disable the starter relay?Question, anyone else experience this problem? Is there anyway to bypass the Passkey Module and still get the starter relay to function correctly?
Any suggestions appreciated. It's not a huge deal because it always starts after the 3 minute wait, just annoying to deal with.
Does your fuel pump turn on everytime even if the car doesnt start? does it just not crank sometimes?
Check for proper grounds, there should be one right above the starter on the block, and should be 3 on the back of the drivers side head, and a ground strap going from the block to the chassis right by the drivers side motor mount.
Check for proper grounds, there should be one right above the starter on the block, and should be 3 on the back of the drivers side head, and a ground strap going from the block to the chassis right by the drivers side motor mount.
Fuel pump runs, get normal dash light tests and guage functions but starter does not engage. I've been through the grounds a few times already, that's were I normally start on any wiring problem. I am occasionally getting the wierd tach drop out at high RPMs which someone told me is sometimes ground related. I'll check them again, never can tell. Thanks for the input.
Any other input appreciated!
Any other input appreciated!
take off the drivers side kickpanel.
in some gooey tar stuff, is a big relay.
on the bottom of the relay is a smaller (in comparison) black wire with a yellow stripe.
this is the ground wire for teh starter relay in your hand.... the stock vats module still ground that wire before the car starts..
connect that pin to ground by grounding a wire, then shoving it up the back of the connector.... that should bypass the vats and temp fix the problem.. or cut and ground the wire permanently.
i still keep that vats starter kill working... vats saved my car from being stolen once before.. im keeping it from now on.
in some gooey tar stuff, is a big relay.
on the bottom of the relay is a smaller (in comparison) black wire with a yellow stripe.
this is the ground wire for teh starter relay in your hand.... the stock vats module still ground that wire before the car starts..
connect that pin to ground by grounding a wire, then shoving it up the back of the connector.... that should bypass the vats and temp fix the problem.. or cut and ground the wire permanently.
i still keep that vats starter kill working... vats saved my car from being stolen once before.. im keeping it from now on.
Mr. Dude, thanks for the reply. You were a big help when we did some of our initial wiring. Quick question, haven't torn into the kick panel yet but I have been digging in the service manual (the 88 model manual). I found the relay diagram but it doesn't show a black w/ yellow. It shows yellow from starter to C and E, green from passkey module to B and then drk green/white from relay A to gear switch. This wire turns into purple after gear switch and goes to starter. Is it just not showing the black/yellow in this diagram or did colors change on year models?
Edit - b/c is coil, a is open point on relay.
Understand why you would want to keep this feature/function. Based on what's happening do you think this module is going bad or maybe just the key/contacts wearing? Might want to figure out how to fix instead of bypassing.
Edit - b/c is coil, a is open point on relay.
Understand why you would want to keep this feature/function. Based on what's happening do you think this module is going bad or maybe just the key/contacts wearing? Might want to figure out how to fix instead of bypassing.
Last edited by crewchef; Aug 14, 2006 at 03:20 PM.
Originally Posted by crewchef
Mr. Dude, thanks for the reply. You were a big help when we did some of our initial wiring. Quick question, haven't torn into the kick panel yet but I have been digging in the service manual (the 88 model manual). I found the relay diagram but it doesn't show a black w/ yellow. It shows yellow from starter to C and E, green from passkey module to B and then drk green/white from relay A to gear switch. This wire turns into purple after gear switch and goes to starter. Is it just not showing the black/yellow in this diagram or did colors change on year models?
Edit - b/c is coil, a is open point on relay.
Edit - b/c is coil, a is open point on relay.
Originally Posted by crewchef
Understand why you would want to keep this feature/function. Based on what's happening do you think this module is going bad or maybe just the key/contacts wearing? Might want to figure out how to fix instead of bypassing.
my first fix would be to just try to clean the key and column contacts... 90% of the time, that works for me.
electrical contact cleaner works great... alcohol can work in a pinch.. WD40 worked for me once, but that was a unique case of someone spilling soda on their key, letting it dry, then putting it in the car....
Thanks for the assist, appreciate you hanging out on here and sharing your knowledge! I'm going to give the contact cleaner a shot and see how that works out. I'll try to update and let everyone know how this works out.
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i know it is old but i bought the car and it was the wires in the ignition. i put the correct resistor in line and now starts each time. the vats keys is normally the problem but i had a new key made and it did not fix the issue.
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