Lost Key
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 222
From: Delta B.C. Canada
2023 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C4 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
2015 C4 of Year Finalist
And the moral of the story is: ALWAYS have a second (or third) key, regardless of which vehicle you have.
Oh, and emergency hood release cables too.
Oh, and emergency hood release cables too.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,414
Likes: 2,745
Did you buy a 1K that's linked OR did you buy a 10K? Actually I don't believe a 10K will do the entire 1 - 15 BUT will do the first 1 - 14. To do a complete VATS you need one of each connected in a series to do the entire range and accomplish coarse/fine adjustment. A 10K RS I believe would be this 271-0343 and maybe an "in store" local if still open or maybe eBay using that #.
You don't even need all those resistors. Just go to Radio Shack and get a variable potentiometer...the one I bought when I did this "trick" was less than $2.00, IIRC. Solder two wires to it, use a meter to set it to the first value in the chart "kg4fku" posted, then plug it into your harness at the bottom of the column. Try the different resistance values (waiting the required time in between attempts), until it starts....then you know.
EDIT: In fact, HERE is the unit I bought and used...it's up to $3.49 now
EDIT: In fact, HERE is the unit I bought and used...it's up to $3.49 now
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After posting the 10K # I searched that number and actually found a post where a user mentioned how you configure "BOTH" to check 14 of the 15 possibilities. I've had a VATS decoder for years and have never used POTS.
Here's that post. Is it correct? I believe very likely.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1575086581
That poster mentions "redrose" & "socalman" supplied information he used. If you have questions regarding the POTS contact any of the three.
Design along with minimum/maximum tolerances are posted in a chart in this post:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1586339215
I had a friend that insisted on doing his checks in this order: 7 - 8 - 6 - 9 -5 - 10 - 4 - 11 - 3 - 2 - 1 The only year that 1 is significant is '86 so in most instances #1 could be overlooked anyway and was a waste of 5 minutes of time. OP's being an '86 he can't overlook #1.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Jun 4, 2015 at 04:53 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,414
Likes: 2,745
I have lost my only key to my 1986 Corvette. I have pulled the cylinder lock out of it and retrieved the key code that is stamped on it. Called up the dealer and was told that stamped code is only for the cut of the key itself and will not tell me the VATS resistance code. Does anybody know if this is true and if there is any way to find out the resister number without the key. I know there are 15 different types, thanks for any advice.
I wouldn't have thought the key code would have been stamped on an '86 cylinder. There is no way to get any other information from GM for your car. I believe that "CLIFF HARRIS" disassembled a VATS module for an '86 and identified which resistor actually controlled the VATS. You could remove the VATS module and check that way also. In the last link I posted I listed the resistance ID's by stripe codes for I believe the resistors used.
Cliff's images seem to have gone away. I believe he mentioned a .pdf image issue with the CF.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Jun 4, 2015 at 05:25 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
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From: Park City Utah
Whoops. That won't work! Sorry!, and good catch. That one LOOKS like the one I used....different values, apparently.
