LT1 no crank/ start. Help me figure out if VATS or ignition switch, etc.
01-21-2013, 10:50 AM
#1
LT1 no crank/ start. Help me figure out if VATS or ignition switch, etc. Heh you would've thought that after replacing my opti and going through my whole setup I'd get some trouble free running in eh? 
I did a quick search but didn't come up with anything where someone actually got their engine to fire after many attempts.
Insert key, relay clicks and thats all. Fuel pump primes, all lights work. Security light has never come on or flashed since I bought the car. Starter recently replaced, all connections/ battery good.
It takes about 25-40 attempts turning the key until it catches and it will crank and start. This happened twice in a row this morning.
My buddy says it sounds like a VATS issue but like I said the security light has never been on. What else can cause this? Ignition switch? Neutral safety switch?
Thanks guys.
I did a quick search but didn't come up with anything where someone actually got their engine to fire after many attempts.
Insert key, relay clicks and thats all. Fuel pump primes, all lights work. Security light has never come on or flashed since I bought the car. Starter recently replaced, all connections/ battery good.
It takes about 25-40 attempts turning the key until it catches and it will crank and start. This happened twice in a row this morning.
My buddy says it sounds like a VATS issue but like I said the security light has never been on. What else can cause this? Ignition switch? Neutral safety switch?
Thanks guys.
01-21-2013, 12:07 PM
#2
Village Troll 
iTrader: (2)
I think if it were a VATS issue it would start for a few seconds and then die flashing a security light. Either that or the engine will crank with no fire.
My guess is it could be the keyswitch not engaging the wire that goes to the solenoid.
My guess is it could be the keyswitch not engaging the wire that goes to the solenoid.
01-21-2013, 08:29 PM
#3
Vats will cause the car to not fire, or turn over.
If the BCM doesnt send the signal to the Theft Deterrent Relay, no signal gets sent to the Starter Relay. With out signal going to the Starter relay, the car will not fire.
At the same time this happens, if the BCM doesnt send the PCM signal, the PCM does not tell the injectors to fire.
Many "delete yo vats" kits have a blue wire that goes to the PCM so that it always gets signal. These boxes are popular on eBay and work very well.
This of course is all for an OBDII car. If I have something wrong please correct me for future googlers.
If the BCM doesnt send the signal to the Theft Deterrent Relay, no signal gets sent to the Starter Relay. With out signal going to the Starter relay, the car will not fire.
At the same time this happens, if the BCM doesnt send the PCM signal, the PCM does not tell the injectors to fire.
Many "delete yo vats" kits have a blue wire that goes to the PCM so that it always gets signal. These boxes are popular on eBay and work very well.
This of course is all for an OBDII car. If I have something wrong please correct me for future googlers.
01-21-2013, 10:52 PM
#4
The service manual indicates that my symptoms are a VATS problem either due to a bad relay or poor connection between the key and cylinder.
I'll start off by picking up some resistors at radioshack tomorrow morning and bypassing VATS. I'm hoping this is it.
I'll start off by picking up some resistors at radioshack tomorrow morning and bypassing VATS. I'm hoping this is it.
01-21-2013, 10:59 PM
#5
Staging Lane
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This exact same thing happened to me. The first day I owned the car, replaced the clutch and as soon as i hooked the battery back up, the security system shut everything down. I did my research on VATS and whatnot, and bypassed it under the dash and got the thing started.
but now, every once in a blue moon, i turn the key and it just clicks. like you said, 35-40 tries later the car cranks and starts right up just like normal. I'm convinced its gotta be an iffy connection from the key switch to the solenoid, because my car literally has no security system anymore.
on OBDII cars, VATS will cause the car to start and die because it only cuts fuel. OBDI cuts off the starter, but no fuel. hence, you can kick start a locked up OBDI car.
93 TA M6, CC stage 3 clutch, freshly built trans, CAI, AC delete
but now, every once in a blue moon, i turn the key and it just clicks. like you said, 35-40 tries later the car cranks and starts right up just like normal. I'm convinced its gotta be an iffy connection from the key switch to the solenoid, because my car literally has no security system anymore.
on OBDII cars, VATS will cause the car to start and die because it only cuts fuel. OBDI cuts off the starter, but no fuel. hence, you can kick start a locked up OBDI car.
93 TA M6, CC stage 3 clutch, freshly built trans, CAI, AC delete
01-23-2013, 09:25 PM
#6
Staging Lane
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Send your PCM off and get you VATS tuned out like every one else who has this problem. I always thought if your VATS kicked on your fuel pump wouldn't prime, but I could be wrong. Either way it's cheap to get it deleted and if you don't have a base tune you get 2 birds with one stone.
