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Battery relocation woes :(

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Old Sep 13, 2011 | 08:59 PM
  #1  
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Default Battery relocation woes :(

I figure this deserves its own thread...


So I relocated my battery to the hatch a while ago and it had been having some trouble starting. Last week it wouldn't turn over at all - no clicking of the starter, nothing. The battery checks out fine and all of the lights, vents, and radio turn on fine. No issues with the security light either. It was a problem that came and went but I had heard it was a problem with the starter relay and could be fixed as outlined here:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-racin...-clicks-3.html

by cutting the wires to the starter relay and wiring them into a new, beefier relay. So I cut the wires to the fuse box, threw some spades on them, and wired them up exactly like this




So I disconnected and reconnected the battery to reset the computer and it did start with some effort and I took it for a ride. Tried to start it again when I got it home and it clicked a few times before the main power fuse blew. Replaced the fuse and jumped the car and it started. Left it idling for a while to charge up the battery.
Shut it off and went out about an hour later to try again. Back to where I started... No clicking, nothing. Just get that damn security light blinking at me when I open the door. Have full power to all lights, AC, radio, and everything else, but nothing happens when I turn the key.
Voltage test shows 12.3 volts at the battery and 12.2 volts at the end of the power wire in the engine bay. Also shows 12.2 volts going to the starter and fuse boxes. So this is not a voltage loss issue.

It HAS to be a theft deterrent issue, doesn't it??? I would think there is something else going on but that light on the dash blinking at me says there has to be something going on there...
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Old Sep 13, 2011 | 09:44 PM
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Starting to look like this may be a BCM issue. Someone told me I need to cut the starter relay ground wire going to the BCM and ground it directly, bypassing the BCM. Only problem is I have no idea which wire is the starter relay ground wire. Anyone know off hand?
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Old Sep 14, 2011 | 05:35 AM
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I haven't started my relocation yet, it's the next thing I'm doing though. I was putting my starter back in and seen a ground that I completely forgot to hook back up on my wiring harness. There's one on the passenger side coming off of starter wires. I'd make sure that has a good ground as well.

What size wire are you using and how is it all routed?
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Old Sep 14, 2011 | 06:48 AM
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If you ground the starter directly you still need to turn VATS off in the tune or the fuel will be cut off when you try and start it.
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Old Sep 14, 2011 | 10:37 AM
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You have a vats issue, scan the computer or have it tuned out.
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Old Sep 14, 2011 | 11:29 AM
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Thanks guys, I'll try to find someone who can get rid of VATS for me. Is this something the stealership can do or can I get it done cheaper somewhere else?
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Old Sep 15, 2011 | 10:23 AM
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Any of the online tuners can do it or someone local with hp tuners.
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Old Sep 15, 2011 | 11:14 AM
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Thats my diagram I posted,, it sounds like you have another problem, there are a quite a few of us guys running this relay setup, and it fixed our weak start problems, and have had zero problems, i ran a 12 ga. Grnd to my relay, didnt use the bcm gnd, which I think was black and yellow, pretty sure it was in my post. I do have the vats system turned off in my car,, what you are describing sounds like a bad connection,,how is your battery grounded?
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Old Sep 15, 2011 | 11:17 AM
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By the way,,i am not the one who figured out how to solve this problem,,two other members did, one of them is an electrical engineer,,,i know I have been running this setup for a while and have no problems, and it fixed my problem.
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