June 3rd I dropped my '81 Vette off at DAS (car shipper) in Florida to have it shipped to my new home in Utah. They wouldn't take it because the e-brake didn't work good enough and it's a 4-spd, not an auto. I found a local mechanic willing to work on it and drop it off at DAS. About 3 weeks ago they finially finished fixing the e-brake (and charged me $200), and dropped it off at the shippers. Yesterday I start trying to track it down wondering why I hadn't heard from them and found out that 1) they didn't have my cell phone number, only my wife's, and she cancelled it a month ago, 2) the car is actually in Utah waiting for me, and 3) it won't start with the starter motor, only push starting it.

I called the mechanic and he said it was fine when I dropped it off with him, fine when he dropped it off at DAS, and fine when he had to drive it around. According to DAS, they tried jump starting it and have push started it a number of times, but it NEVER started with just the key. Trying to add it all up I vaguely remember there is some kind of relay related to the ignition somewhere around the e-brake handle, and since that was adjusted, I figured I go pick up the Corvette and probably find a loose wire in there. Nope, I couldn't find anything loose and I had to be push started.

When I got home I tried to start it and it starts right up. The starter itself is new, I replaced it last summer when I had this problem. Obviously replacing the starter wasn't the fix, but now I'm afraid to drive it anywhere. I wish it wouldn't start so I could find the problem.

Any ideas???

 

Check the 8 wire connector above the evaporator box. The 80-82's connectors are prone to heat/corrosion problems just like you discribe. Separate the two parts and look for burned or corroded contacts.

 

Be careful what you wish for... It's now dead at my wife's house. She had to take me home late last night. I'm in the process of moving out but I work remote so I'm working at my wife's house until I get Internet at my place. Ya, it went over about as well as you would guess.

I can't seem to find my haynes manual.. How do I get to this 8 wire connector? I'm guessing it's way up in the dash and is a royal pain to get to.

If this isn't the problem, what would be the next place to look?

I've heard of jumping the starter, what's the best way to do this without causing problems or shorting something out? The wife made me park in some fresh layed gravel 'cause she didn't want me to drip oil on her driveway which I promptly sunk in. I can't push it out otherwise I'd push start the car and get it to my place.

 

The connector is in plain view. It is under the hood, comes across the evap. box by the pass. side of the firewall.

 

She sounds like a sweetheart
What about the clutch safety switch, or whatever it is called, you know , the one around the top of the clutch pedal that only lets you start when the clutch is engaged??
Steve

 

Maybe I'm blind.. I see a 6 wire connector in that area, and a couple wires appear to go toward the starter, is that what you're referring to? Unfortunately the Vette is sunk down in the gravel enough that I'd have to rake or shovel it out to crawl under (I think the rear axle/exhaust is sitting on gravel), so I could not get at the starter wires directly. Anyway, I pulled apart the 6 wire connector and it looked ok, but I cleaned it up a bit anyway. No change.

I should mention that the car was push started, driven to my wifes house and parked, and it immediately started back up. After sitting not being driven in a week it will not start. Battery seems ok, but I tried jumping it off my jeep anyway. Last night I had the wife check to see if the headlights dimmed at all when turning the key and they did not. I'm pretty sure current just isn't getting to the starter.

 

Then maybe the clutch saftey switch is bad. It is on the pedal assy. by the fuse block....Has purple and purple/white wires, heavy gauge. Check that next...should be hot on both sides when cranking and clutch pedal all the way down.

 

Found the switch, has a purple and a yellow wire, unless I'm looking at the wrong thing. 'Bout killed myself trying to wiggle my way to see it, not sure how to get at the switch itself though. If it's just a simple switch as it appears to be can I just unhook the connector where it's at the bottom front of the dash and connect the purple/yellow wires together? Granted this disables the safety switch, but at least for getting the car to my house would this remove the clutch switch as a possible problem?

 

Before you go chasing bad connections, I would confirm a bad connection will fix your problem. MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL. Run a wire to the starter terminal on the solenoid. Then supply 12V to the wire, the starter should spin. If it does, then put a volt meter on the wire and try to engage the starter with the key - 12V should show when the starter is engaged. If 12V doesn't register the starter switch or the connections to or from it are bad and need to be fixed.

To be certain try running the wire to the other solenoid wire and repeat to make sure you had the right wire.

This will insure that you are not chasing the wrong problem.

 

You have the correct wires...make sure the car is in neutral, temporarily jump out the switch. If it starts when you turn the key, the switch is bad or out of adjustment.

 

The car started after driving it from the shipping company to my wife's house. When I turn the key to start, the lights do not dim. These lead me to believe the problem probably isn't with the starter (which is new because I changed it when having these issues a year ago). In order to run a wire to the starter I would need to dig out some gravel as the tires are somewhat sunk. It's much easier for me to chase down a few likely loose connections than get to the starter. If it comes to that I'll have the car towed to my house and try to work on it there.

You're correct in that I should probably start with the starter, but it's a pain to get to and since I'm at my wifes house during the day (I work remote and I'm waiting for Internet access at my house) I can take 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there, and check out things like this.

I'll try jumping the clutch switch wires probably tomorrow.

 

Me again. Ok, it wasn't the next day it was a month later.... Since last post the car has been towed out of the gravel pit then push started and driven to my house. I tried jumping out the clutch safety switch, not good. In fact, it's bad 'cause while I was pulling and tugging trying to get the connector near the bottom of the dash apart I managed to pull the connector off the switch itself. Jumping it didn't get the car to start, but now I cannot get the connector back on the safety switch. I can get to it with my finger tips but I don't think I can get the connector on from underneath.

Leaving it jumpered I tried to crawl under the car to see if the starter looked well connected. In doing so I remembered I gave away my jack and jack stands when I moved from FL to UT, and as low as the car is all I can do is feel around. All the wires feel secure.

Thinking I might have a loose cable and being in a not so pleasant mood I tore my console apart looking for the relay. I found it I believe (roughly under the ash tray, a few purple wires and a thin black wire), but it was plugged in ok and all the wiggling in the world will not get it to start.

Now I'm really frustrated. The car hasn't started in months, the cables are pulled off the clutch safety relay never to return, my console is tore apart, some of the brittle 25 year old plastic parts are now broke, the driveway is too steep for me to push the car into the garage, and since I'm going through a divorce I have no money to have it fixed.