Ok! So two nights ago I am in the garage putzing around cleaning and detailing my engine bay on my 87 coupe. I might have been out there for an hour or so. I took my air compressor and blew out a lot of crap that had settled on the manifold and around the suspension . Things like dead wasps and moths etc. I get into the car to start it and go to work yesterday and nothing! All of the courtesy lights came on as they should have and the radio settings had not been cleared. There was no starter sound whatever. Not even a click. I thought that I must have shaken a wire loose or something. I jacked her up and checked out the starter connections and they seemed ok. I checked out the solenoid and tightened all the nuts etc. I was dumbfounded. I then thought what they heck and I put the charger on it for about 5 minutes and it started right up. The battery is only a couple of months old. Could the engine bay lights have drained the battery in that short of time? Why did the courtesy lights come on and why were the radio presets not cleared if the battery was drained? Comments? Thoughts?

 

OK, let me type this for about the 300th time. Most likely you have a VATS problem. There are 2 contacts in the ign tumbler that connect to the pellet in your key and the VATS module measures the resistance and if it is more than about 2-3% from the stored value, the module won't close the start enable relay and the starter solenoid gets no 12v when you hit crank position. If true, then you need a new ign tumbler which has new contacts. Also, if the resistance isn't correct, VATS won't allow another start attempt for 6 minutes, time enough for you to futz around with battery chargers, scratching your head etc and then you try it again and the engine starts. First, try your spare key as its pellet contacts aren't as worn as your everyday key. Next, unplug the clutch safety switch (gear selector sw if automatic) and jump the socket. Measure the voltage from the jumper to ground. When you hit crank position there should be 12v and the starter should crank. If 12v, no crank, then you have a starter problem, most likely a starter solenoid problem. If no 12v, then pull the hush panel above drivers feet, locate the 2 wires from the steering column that goes to a 2 pin connector and unplug. Put an ohmeter across the pins on the wire from the steering column and insert your ign key. You should measure the same resistance as the pellet and if over 13k ohms, then you need a new ign tumbler. You can temporarily bypass VATS until you can schedule a repair by clipping a fixed resistor the same value as your pellet across the 2 pin socket (this goes to the VATS module). You can use a 1/4 watt 5% resistor from Radio Shack. Don't permanently bypass VATS because 99% of thefts are done by bashing the column and jumping the ignition. Keep your car in good repair!!!!!!!!

 

JFB: Bud, why don't you just do a complete Tech write up, then all you have to do is the link...

 

Then what would I do for exercise?