phDiesel

Got in my 96 LT-4 this morning after driving it last night and it won't start.

It'll take a push start and run fine, but the car will not start under its own juice. The starter gives no indication it's even trying to engage (no clicking or whirring noises)

Fuses are good too. If it were VATS it wouldn't even push start, right?

Any help is much appreciated.

Kmcoldcars

Possibilities include starter, starter solenoid, starter relay (if it has one), loose or dirty connection at the battery or starter, and possibly a few other items.
With the lights on, when you try to start it do the lights dim?
You need to get out your factory service manual and start tracking down a bunch of possibilities.
My 1992 Chrysler just did the same thing. Nothing at all when the key was turned to start. It turned out to be the fuse that fed 12 volts to the starter relay. The fun part was the fuse was not mentioned in any of the diagrams or text in the factory service manual. Good luck.

phDiesel

I drive the car every day so I'm fairly certain it's not the battery or terminal connection

The ignition fuses were both solid. I'm getting no indicators inside the car. No dimming, noise, or anything. All seems normal until you turn the key.

Roys92BlackRose

If it's a manual, I would suspect the clutch safety switch. Mine is an auto so I don't know if the manuals employ a safety switch but I would assume so. If you usually have to push the clutch in in order to start the car, then there is a safety switch and perhaps the wires to it got cut or the switch itself is bad.

hcbph

If yours is like my 86, I believe your VATS system will disable current to the starter and injectors, if that's true then no you should not be able to push start your car.

The fact You can push start it leads me to believe it's either the neutral start switch on the clutch pedal or the starter itself. If it's the switch, it's up on the pivot of the clutch pedal, you can jumper the wiring to bypass the switch - see if it now works.
The other thing I'd guess would be starter related. If the battery was low you should at least hear some clicking. If no sound at all then I would lean towards the starter solenoid itself is the most likely culprit followed by the starter. I suppose it could be a corroded electrical connection to on the starter.

This is all assuming you do not have any security lights showing on the DIC when you're attempting to start the car. If there is, then it's likely either the resistor on the key is not being read or a VATS problem. But then again, you shouldn't be able to push start it if it was that.

aklim

Why don't we start with the starter? Lets hook up an idiot light to see if it is even getting a signal to engage the solenoid. If not we can go from there to look at battery or even remove the starter and bring it to a rebuild shop for a teardown exam not an Autozone test.

phDiesel

Unfortunately I don't have the facilities to do any kind of work at my apartment. I wish I did.
I ended up having to bring it to a local Corvette Specialist. I just hope they don't gouge my eyes out.