Possible security system problem
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 322
Likes: 1
From: Manchester TN
Possible security system problem
I had a few ground wires loose after rebuilding the engine and finally got them attached today. Now, I turn the key and nothing. You can hear the fuel pump pulsing and various lights come on in the dash. The most consistent of the lights is the brake dash light at about 2 o'clock on the cluster behind the steering wheel. You can mess with it a bit and finally get it to start. It has done this a couple of times in the 7 years I have owned it but not this bad. Does this sound like the security system or possibly a bad neutral safety switch? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,524
Likes: 10
From: Lufkin Texas
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
It could be either VATS or park neutral switch, yes. Or a host of other things. Its also likely that the starter solenoid could be going south. They tend to work sometime then not sometime, off and on before totally going.
You can test this easily enough by using the old timers trusty screwdriver trick on starter. You turn the ignition key forward on auto or have a helper do it on the standard then push in the clutch. Then you climb under car and jump the larger connection at starter to the smaller one with a screwdriver or wire jumper and be ready because this should turn the starter over. Be careful not to short the jumper or screwdriver to the trans cooler lines or other metal while doing this or it will short and send sparks flying
. If the starter is healthy, even if the VATS or neutral switch is bad, this should turn it over. If this turns it over good then start suspecting the VATS or neutral switch or other things.
You can test this easily enough by using the old timers trusty screwdriver trick on starter. You turn the ignition key forward on auto or have a helper do it on the standard then push in the clutch. Then you climb under car and jump the larger connection at starter to the smaller one with a screwdriver or wire jumper and be ready because this should turn the starter over. Be careful not to short the jumper or screwdriver to the trans cooler lines or other metal while doing this or it will short and send sparks flying
. If the starter is healthy, even if the VATS or neutral switch is bad, this should turn it over. If this turns it over good then start suspecting the VATS or neutral switch or other things.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 322
Likes: 1
From: Manchester TN
I was thinking about it, and if the VATS was causing the problem, I wouldn't have gotten it started so soon after the previous failed attempt (4 minute delay and all). I ran the shifter through all the gears right before she started so that makes me lean more toward a neutral/park safety switch. However, this method did not work later last night. Could be that the switch is completely dead now.
