My 89 cranks but won't start. My question is: Should the security light be blinking as the engine is cranking?

 

No, it should blink with the door open.

 

When I had VATS problems it didn't even crank.

 

Doesn't sound like VATS but not much info.

 

With a VATS problem, when you turn the key, nothing will happen. Sounds like the engine is turning over, but not starting. Time to check fuel, spark, air, compression...usually in that order.

 

VATS= nothing happens... as RRT said, time to start going thru the no start listing, battery, fuel, air....

 

My problem started last summer on my 89 automatic convertible. Actually maybe a year before that my fuel sending unit failed showing the tank as always being full, however my performance was awesome IMO for a stock L98. Last summer it starting ocassionally acting as if it was running out of gas when I would nail it, even after a fill-up of premium unleaded which I always use. I made the assumption that the fuel pump was probably starting to go and put off this job until the spring. After reading all of the fine information on this forum in regards to fuel pumps, filters and the sending units I decided to dig in and fix my baby. I bought a edelbrock (walbro) pump and filter from summit and installed them using forum tips. Also, while I had the sending unit out I used the technique I found on the site to try and fix my fuel gauge issue. I had no luck with this item. It must have been corroded beyond repair. Before I started all of the repairs I checked fuel pressure at the shrader valve and found no fuel pressure. I then check all of my fuses and they all looked good. I siphonned out all of the old gas because I figured after eight or 9 months it probably had lost a lot of octane. After reinstalling the sending unit with new pump in tow I proceded to install the new fuel filter which was badly clogged. This may have been my whole problem all along. I then refilled the tank with 10 gallons of 93 octane unleaded. I primed the fuel system by turning the turning the key and got 40 some lbs of pressure. After maybe a 10 second crank she fired up. It ran rough at first and then smoothed-out idling around 800 as I recall. I let her idle for maybe ten minuties before I thought maybe i'd take it out for a short drive to blow out the cob-webs. Something told me to shut off the engine and then try to restart it just in case it stalled out on the road, so I wouldn't get stranded. That was the last time it started. I have checked fuses and fuel pressure and they are ok. I checked spark and I am getting some but not sure if i'm getting enough. I removed the MAF and tried to start it to see if maybe it was bad but it would still not start. I am in the middle of changing the spark plugs and wires as we speak to rule them out and will be changing the distributor cap and rotor soon. I bought this car new in 1989 and it has around 72,000 miles on the clock. The last nine years I have only driven this car probably 4000 miles. I do have a small leak around the intake area as I have noticed a small amount of coolant pooling on the drivers side of the intake. I plan on fixing this as soon as I can get the car running again. Thanks for any tips or advice.

 

OK, with the key "on" you are getting ~40 psi of fuel pressure? If the pressure builds with the key on, then the fuel pump relay is working. Make sure you have a fully charged battery and even connect a battery charger if needed.

To check for adequate spark, remove the injector or fuel pump fuses and use a spare spark plug and insert it into each plug wire. Hold the plug wire so the end of the plug is about 1/2" from the exhaust manifold. If makes it much easier and quicker if someone cranks the engine while you check for the spark. You should see 1/2" of bluish/orange spark snap.

Check for injector signal (refrence pulses) with a noid light. Some auto parts stores should have one, if not you can get on on ebay. Remove the fuel pump fuse and remove the injector connector and insert the noid light. Have some crank the engine. The light should light up. Check all 8 like this.

There is a list of things that can be done. Do a search for "no start" in the search box. Try and review old threads on a no start situation.

 

If you put the key in and turn it - the security light should stop blinking. If its still blinking you have a VATS issue.

 

First things first. I had the door opened when the security light was blinking while I was cranking the engine. That probably settles that issue. I checked for spark at all plug wires using the extra spark plug trick and got spark on each one. After I change over to new spark plug wires and change the distributor cap and rotor I will report back to you guys. I am ordering a set of noids from ebay as NAPA wants around $65 for a set. P.S. Is it worth going after-market for distributor cap/rotor or will the stock delco be adequate for me?

 

Napa cap and rotor would be fine and cheaper than GM. Have you tried spraying starting fluid into TB while cranking ??

http://members.shaw.ca/corvette86/En...ButWontRun.pdf

 

I installed new plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor. I charged the battery and after probably 15 seconds of cranking the engine fired. It ran rough for 45 seconds and then died. I was able to fire it back up where it again ran rough and died after about 20 seconds. Refired the third time but died shortly after. Tried to start again to no avail. Battery was starting to drain down with all of the cranking so I hooked up my starter/charger. It sounds likes it's trying to start but won't quite do it. My fuel pressure at the rail is good at 40lb range. Is there anything else to try while I'm waiting for my noid set to arrive? Could the coil or iginition module be the problem?

 

-maybe with timing in there between air and compression?

 

It's been a while since I used my timing light. Probably 20 years or so. Which spark plug wire do you clamp over and don't you have to put a tee into the distributor vaacum line or something?

 

Timing light lead goes to #1 cylinder. No vacuum advance, so no vacuum line to plug. You do have to unplug the EST wire before setting timing. It is a single tan/black stripe wire and the connector to unplug, should be beside the brake booster(engine side). 6*BTDC

After setting timing, turn off motor, reconnect EST wire. You will also need to disconnect the neg bat terminal for 30 sec. to clear the code 43 (caused from having the EST disconnected while engine running)

 

I was able to start my vette today with the aid of some starting fluid. It would idle smoothly for a couple of minutes then start running rough and die. If you tried to give it gas, it would die immediately. I checked the timing and it appeared as if it as jumping around. The timing looked as low as 8tdc up to over the 12tdc mark. By the time I checked the timing, the car was idling rough and it would die. I am still waiting for my noid set to arrive so I can check the injectors.

 

There IS one part in the VATS system that lets you crank the motor, but not start, its the fuel injector pulse thing for the starting (forgot the technical name, its on my site www.vatssucks.com)...

anyway,

I had that problem after I eliminated the other two VATS components. My security light would come on or blink or whatever it wanted to do. I could crank away until the battery was dead and it would never start. If i let it sit 15-20 mins, it would crank right up like nothing ever happened. It was 100% VATS related for MY issue...

You could have a totally seperate issue.


All I know is that I don't miss VATS one bit. I laughed the other day when the security light was brightly lit as I started the car and drove home without it there to stop me. Dumb VATS.

 

Make sure you have plenty of gas in the tank and you might want to change the fuel filter if you haven't recently. By spraying starting fluid in the intake and the engine running better....that is a sign of a fuel, ref pulse, or fuel delivery problem. You can check timing with it running rough if you or someone can hold the throttle open just a bit.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1536382

 

I've got 10 gallons of fresh premium gas, a new fuel filter, spark plugs, wires and a new distributor cap and rotor. My noid set arrived today and all injector connectors blinked while cranking. I got a little suprise on the first one tested (#1 cylinder). I unplugged it and plugged in the noid then hit the key and the engine fired right up. I was able to give it gas and it did not die like yesterday. I tried to plug the injector back in but when I did, the engine would die immediately. Could the #1 injector be my problem? If so, could it just be clogged up? Could it be cleaned by a repair shop using an injector cleaner that it fed right through the schrader valve instead of removing everthing to get to it? Also, Is the top number on the timing marker 12tdc and each other mark in increments of 2. My marker is dirty and I can't quite reach down there to clean it.

 

If the #1 injector being disconnected and the engine starting and then connected again and the engine dying...sounds like coincendence. When the #1 injector was connected and any other not, make a difference?

If the injector was disconnected, then it was not allowing fuel into that cylinder. Same thing as if the injector was clogged. You could have a wiring or injector problem. Sounds like the injector might be shorted out causing the whole left bank to die out. The engine will run on 7 cylinder and possibly 6 cylinders, but run crappy. Ohm the injectors one by one with an ohm meter. Touch the red led to one terminal on the injector and the black led to the other. The ohm reading should be 16-17 ohms on each injector. If not, they all should be over 10 ohms and read very close to each other.

Check the thread I posted in my last post. It shows a picture of the timing mark.