I'm having an intermittant problem with my 96. When I try to crank the car it just gives me a click, and it's hard to tell where this click is coming from (although it doesn't seem to be from in the dash). I had a friend tell me it was the starter and that I could hit it with something to free it if it was (I have heard of this). The confusing part is that it seems to have enough voltage, it doesn't go below 11.8 on the guage even when it just clicks and if I move the key around in the ignition sometimes it starts fine (it did this today, about 8 clicks and I took the key out and started to give up on it, put the key back in and turned to run, left it this way while I was talking to my friend about it, turned it to crank and it just started up, go figure????) It just started doing this last week, I figured it might be time for a battery, but it didn't do it for about three days so I left it alone. So what do you guys think? Starter, battery, ignition switch/key, or VATS? Any thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks all.

 

I'm pretty sure it is the starter. That's the way mine acted, then one day after about a week, it wouldn't start at all. I've heard others on the forum say that's the way theirs went out also. I had mine rebuilt locally for a little over $100.

 

What is your battery voltage without trying to start it? It should be about 13 volts. If your voltage is good then replace the starter silenoid.

 

Sounds like your Starter, mine did the same thing around 3or4 click and would start. It finally die a my in law house, had to get under the car tap it with piece of wood while my father in law turn the key to crank it. Took the starter off that night had it rebuilt ($65). Cranks like new.... To me it is cheaper to rebuild and you keep your original core. Good Luck :cheers:

 

You need to make some measurements to determine what the problem is. The start enable relay is behind the center of the dash and makes a "click" when you attempt a start. The starter solenoid on the starter motor also makes a click when attempting a start. Have someone listen with the hood up when it won't crank and determine if it is the starter solenoid. If it is, then VATS isn't the problem, but if it isn't, then VATS is most likely. Try your spare ignition key which has higher contacts on the pellet and a better chance to make contact with the ign sw. If you can alternate between the everyday key and the spare, and the trouble stays with the everyday key, then the key or the ign sw contacts are worn. You can prove its the ign sw by finding the wires from the steering column and unplugging the 2 pin contact and measuring the resistance of the wires from the column with the key in place and the resistance should be the same as the pellet. If over 10k ohms, then you have a worn ign sw and it needs to be replaced. You can clip a fixed resistor of the same value as your pellet onto the wires going over to the passenger side and VATS will be defeated. Just do this long enough to schedule a replacement because with no VATS protection, your vette can easily be stolen by bashing the column and jumping the ignition. Car thieves steal cars by this method 99% of the time. The starter can be removed and taken to Autozone and other parts places that will test it. Of course if it is intermittent , it might test ok but continue to fail later.

 

The battery voltage the other day was on the low side in my opinion, it was sitting at 12.2 when I first turned the key over. I thought it should be over 13.2 if all the cells were good, that's what got me thinking that I may need a battery.....

 

That's part of the problem too, I never got a spare key or haven't had one made yet either so no luck here.

I was looking into defeating this anyway as I've heard the bad things most have said about it leaving the owner stranded. At this point I think I would rather walk out into the parking lot and find it stolen than for it to be there and not crank. :eek: :lol:

 

When my battery was dying.. it would click a little. But that was when it was practically completely dead.

 

In 12 years and 200,000 miles, my VATS left me stranded only 1 time. Not a bad record IMO.
I agree with jfb. Keep that baby online! :)

Also, I should add that my car's been broken into 3 times! :mad


[Modified by Black 'n Blue, 4:17 PM 11/11/2001]

 

I had the problem over the last couple weeks... same thing your describing and it was the starter in my case. Brand new GM starter from Jeff Kopp was $159 and shipping. A reman would of cost me 139 + tax. Put the stater in yesterday and it took about an hour.

 

Definitely sounds like the starter solenoid, which is a replaceable item. The bendix in the starter sounds fine, so if you know of any good shops in town that would rebuild it, I would go that route. On the other hand, I've never replaced a solenoid, but I can't imagine it being that hard.

Price will be the key, my friends solenoid went out on his 454, a new solenoid was $65, a new starter w/ solenoid was $80 on that particular day. We went with the starter and it was an easy fix. The price of starters seems to change day to day, so you may be able to get a deal somewhere. I'm running a NAPA starter for $41 that appears to be immaculately built, they even repainted it.

Try tapping on the solenoid, and if that fixes it, then go for a rebuild or remanufactured starter.