vat's question
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
vat's question
first off i want to say this sight is one of the most informative sights i've seen , the wealth of knoledge here is unbelievable.
im purchasing a 87 vette that was in storage and when i got there it wouldnt start from a dead battery. once the battery was replaced it had a no/crank but everything else worked. hoped on here and as i thought it seemed to point towards the vat system. went back reinstalled the battery and waited like 20 minutes and it fired right up and purred like a kitten. my question is is this normal when the battery has been removed ? i will by-pass it all together down the road (with the help of the write ups on here). will it now give me problems till it is removed or will it be ok as long as the battery is not dead or removed or is something else starting to go bad with the vats ?
im purchasing a 87 vette that was in storage and when i got there it wouldnt start from a dead battery. once the battery was replaced it had a no/crank but everything else worked. hoped on here and as i thought it seemed to point towards the vat system. went back reinstalled the battery and waited like 20 minutes and it fired right up and purred like a kitten. my question is is this normal when the battery has been removed ? i will by-pass it all together down the road (with the help of the write ups on here). will it now give me problems till it is removed or will it be ok as long as the battery is not dead or removed or is something else starting to go bad with the vats ?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,304
Likes: 240
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
I wouldn't delete VATS, it works. 
Dirty contacts in switch or dirty pellets in key, could have caused a poor connection during your first attempt.
http://members.shaw.ca/agent86/Vats%20Electrical.pdf
Dirty contacts in switch or dirty pellets in key, could have caused a poor connection during your first attempt.
http://members.shaw.ca/agent86/Vats%20Electrical.pdf
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
i kinda figured it was working properly , it was just wierd that once the new battery was installed and it sat for say 20 minutes it started. i had tried both keys , the one he always used and a spare (which kinda looked brand new never used original) but neither started it the first time and both started it the second time after sitting with new battery. was wondering if it had to sit for awhile , i read here somewhere it has like a 8 minute timer or something. hate to sound stupid , its all new to me.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,018
Likes: 1
From: OR
Mine had the intermittent no start symptom you describe. I bought the $20 plug and play by-pass which took care of it. The alarm still works this way. Nobody will know it's by-passed. It just won't embarrass me at work or the gas station anymore.
The real fix in my case would be to replace the ignition lock. $120 for the part and tare the steering column half way apart. Not worth it to me when $20 and five minutes of my time made it work.
The real fix in my case would be to replace the ignition lock. $120 for the part and tare the steering column half way apart. Not worth it to me when $20 and five minutes of my time made it work.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
I bought my 87 from someone that bought a new 90 vette. Shortly after taking delivery, they came out of work to find the drivers window bashed and the column bashed, but VATS allowed the 90 vette to be parked in the exact spot the owner left it. If you bypass VATS, you will likely one day to be reading the fine print on your insurance policy. 99% of thefts are done by bashing the column and jumping the ignition.
I drive my 87 every day and in the 19 years I have owned it, I have had to bypass VATS twice to drive it until a new ignition lock was installed.
Don't permanently bypass VATS!
I drive my 87 every day and in the 19 years I have owned it, I have had to bypass VATS twice to drive it until a new ignition lock was installed.
Don't permanently bypass VATS!
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 21,094
Likes: 282
From: Phila., PA burbs
I agree that this was the case in the past, however nowadays every manufacturer has some type of a resistor key system. Thieves are simply towing cars more and more these days which would render the VATS useless 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,018
Likes: 1
From: OR
I bought my 87 from someone that bought a new 90 vette. Shortly after taking delivery, they came out of work to find the drivers window bashed and the column bashed, but VATS allowed the 90 vette to be parked in the exact spot the owner left it. If you bypass VATS, you will likely one day to be reading the fine print on your insurance policy. 99% of thefts are done by bashing the column and jumping the ignition.
I drive my 87 every day and in the 19 years I have owned it, I have had to bypass VATS twice to drive it until a new ignition lock was installed.
Don't permanently bypass VATS!
I drive my 87 every day and in the 19 years I have owned it, I have had to bypass VATS twice to drive it until a new ignition lock was installed.
Don't permanently bypass VATS!
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
this 87 is low milage (below 35,000 miles) , i guess right now my main concern is by the battery going dead and then having to wait for it to start after installing a new battery is this normal operation of the vat's ? or is it a indication of a problem starting ? if its normal i plan to leave it be or is it something that only time will tell if it happens again.
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Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
If I remember it correctly, the 87 requires 6 minutes to try a restart if VATS didn't see the correct pellet resistance. It could be possible that when power gets interrupted, the ECM has to reset VATS in 6 minutes also.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Key words "new 90 vette". If it were a 2007 rather than a 1987 vette, there might be cause for heightened concern. I doubt an '87 is worth stealing to a real car thief. For someone to steal it now would more likely require one to leave it unlocked with the key in the ignition, and then the purpose of the theft would most likely to go for a joy ride.
You can disrespect my 87 Corvette, it doesn't bother me. But you haven't seen my car, and I doubt you know how car thieves think. They steal all manner of cars. I keep it good condition and had it repainted 3 years ago and it looks good. But.....if car thieves don't want 87 Corvettes, thats fine with me because I am sure my insurance company wouldn't give enough money to purchase another 87 in good condition.
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
thats the answer i was hoping to hear. it appears everything is now working fine. everytime i try to start it now it fires right up.
thanks everyone for all the help and the crash course in the vat's system.
