88 Startup
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
88 Startup
Am hoping someone out there can help me. I have a '88 base model with 41,000 two owner miles. I've owned the car for three years now. The problem is if I drive the car for more than 30-40 miles at a time, shut the engine off, then try to start the car back up I don't even get a click with the ignition. The dash lights up great during this time but that's all it will do. I have to wait 45 minutes or so and it'll fire right back up like nothing was ever wrong. I took it into my local chevy dealer last spring and they claimed they found a short and fixed the problem. I drive it so little that I didn't have the problem come up again until the fall. Any ideas?
One other problem I have is while in the shop last spring I had the dealership replace all the fluids including the anti-freeze. The last time I drove the car(back in December) my low coolant level light came on. I checked the fluid in the reservoir(plenty there) and kept an eye on the temp gauge(never got above 180). It would flash off and on if I was doing some cornering but other than that it would stay on. Any ideas as well?
Thanks in advance for any input.
One other problem I have is while in the shop last spring I had the dealership replace all the fluids including the anti-freeze. The last time I drove the car(back in December) my low coolant level light came on. I checked the fluid in the reservoir(plenty there) and kept an eye on the temp gauge(never got above 180). It would flash off and on if I was doing some cornering but other than that it would stay on. Any ideas as well?
Thanks in advance for any input.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,939
Likes: 1
From: Vero Beach Florida
I had the same type trouble with my 87 starting after it would get hot. some times it would make a clicking sound as the bendix would not engage the fly wheel till it cooled down, replaced starter all was fine after that, you might have that checked out. They more then likley nevered burped the coolant system to remove the air traped inside after service, it sometimes takes a couple times filling it to get the traped air out, would be my guess on the low coolant light, but to be safe look at your oil to be sure no water is there. Dosen't sound like you drive the car much and a sitting C4 can develop problems. My .02 worth sure others will have comments.
Last edited by floridamale; Jan 25, 2009 at 09:41 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
There are a number of things that can cause your symptoms.
When it won't start, unplug the clutch safety switch (gear selector sw if auto, at the base of the gear shift) and jump the socket. Measure the voltage on the jumper and when you hit crank on the ign sw, you should have 12v and the starter should crank. You can jump 12v to the jumper to see if the starter cranks, and it should. If VATS doesn't see the correct resistance, it won't allow another try for 6 minutes. If no 12v, then pull the kick panel above the drivers feet and find the 2 wires from above the steering column going to a 2 pin plug. Unplug, insert your ign key and measure the resistance across the wires from the steering column. You should measure the same resistance as the pellet in the ign key. If over 4% off, then you need a new ign lock which will have new contacts that make connection to the pellet. You can temporarily bypass VATS by connecting a resistor the same value as your pellet across the 2 pin socket (goes to VATS module). You can use a 1/4 or 1/2 watt resistor from Radio Shack, but the value has to be within 4% of your pellet.
When it won't start, unplug the clutch safety switch (gear selector sw if auto, at the base of the gear shift) and jump the socket. Measure the voltage on the jumper and when you hit crank on the ign sw, you should have 12v and the starter should crank. You can jump 12v to the jumper to see if the starter cranks, and it should. If VATS doesn't see the correct resistance, it won't allow another try for 6 minutes. If no 12v, then pull the kick panel above the drivers feet and find the 2 wires from above the steering column going to a 2 pin plug. Unplug, insert your ign key and measure the resistance across the wires from the steering column. You should measure the same resistance as the pellet in the ign key. If over 4% off, then you need a new ign lock which will have new contacts that make connection to the pellet. You can temporarily bypass VATS by connecting a resistor the same value as your pellet across the 2 pin socket (goes to VATS module). You can use a 1/4 or 1/2 watt resistor from Radio Shack, but the value has to be within 4% of your pellet.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 14,924
Likes: 9
From: Merritt Ils Fl
No start when hot is a long standing problem with GM starters that have some age on them. Actually its the solenoid not the starter. You can rebuild the solenoid,replace it or replace the entire starter. My solution was to spring for a mini hi-torque starter.
8th Gear
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
88 start
My 88 would fail to start periodically and even after installing the VATS bypass and elininating the neutral safety switch still would get a no start condition. I would get someone to push me and she would start every time . I didn't realize that the solenoid has an aux relay as part of the Vats system. I jumped it out and now it starts every time.If you can start it by a push it is the aux relay.
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