85 Vette WON'T START
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,689
Likes: 1
From: Peoria AZ
85 Vette WON'T START
I have an 85 Vette that will not even turn over like there is NO power to the starter. My car is at my fathers house and I had a guy coming to look at it today to possibly purchase it, my dad went out to see if it was ready to be looked at (the car hasn't been driven all summer) he went out to start it and the battery was DEAD, he then jumped it with a booster charger....long story short, he bought a new battery and now there is NOTHING....it won't even crank. I had an extra ECM so I changed that thinking maybe he fried it trying to jump it...nothing different. All the other components such as the dash and the headlights etc all work fine, when you try and start it with the headlights on the headlights do NOT dim at all. Any ideas?? I really need to get this car running and SOLD. Thanks!! SEAN 
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,592
Likes: 3
From: St Louis MO
Did you check the cable and connections at the starter to see if you are getting any power there?
Is it stick or auto? Check neutral safety switch. If stick, there should be a switch on the clutch (to make sure it is fully depressed before it will turn over). The switch could be bad.... and on and on and on.
Keep the faith.
Is it stick or auto? Check neutral safety switch. If stick, there should be a switch on the clutch (to make sure it is fully depressed before it will turn over). The switch could be bad.... and on and on and on.
Keep the faith.
Last edited by PierEagle; Oct 14, 2005 at 12:54 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,689
Likes: 1
From: Peoria AZ
I am heading over there right now to put it on my dads liuft and check the power at the starter. The car is an automatic. Are there any fuse links to the starter that anyone knows of?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 2
The factory security system can act like that, interrupts the starter - is the security light on the info panel flashing like it should? Put the door key in the door lock and make sure you turn it all the way to unlock - this should have set off the horn if they are connected. Check the ignition switch down on the column too - the lock cylinder doesn't do much but drive a rod down to the actual switch lower on the column.
Ryan
Ryan
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Jump the gear selector switch. You can test the starter by jumping 12v to one of the wires on the gear selector switch which goes to the starter solenoid and this should make the starter run.
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6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
I had the samething with my '84. The previous owners disconnected the horn from the security system. So when I had the top off and / or windows down and opened the lock by reaching in and fliping the lock in the inside, the car would not start. The security totally cut of the i=gnition switch. Now eventually, the system would reset (in approx. 20 minutes) and then the car would start. Does not sound like your problem exactly, but it was driving me crazy for a while.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 17,066
Likes: 3
From: Milpitas ca
Originally Posted by Sean Dunshee
Thanks for all the help guys...it ended up being a dead starter. Got it changed and cleaned the car up and sold it today.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,689
Likes: 1
From: Peoria AZ
I have a couple other Vettes as well. I have an 87 convert, an 88 convert and a 90 convert. But I am selling and/or parting out so I can get rid of all of them. I want a 65-67 in a BAD way.
